For Father's Day, pennies from heaven plus 'Godwinks' and good memories

"We all need more light today. We need more positivity. We need family and faith, hope and strength — that's what these stories are about."

SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, co-founders of the Godwinks brands and based in Massachusetts, shared those thoughts with Fox News Digital recently, along with the following memorable story that at its core is about rock-solid faith and family values.

The couple specialize in what they refer to as "Godwinks" stories. 

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They believe that God works in mysterious ways — and use the word Godwink regularly in their everyday lives.

"Godwink is the new word of the language," Rushnell told Fox News Digital in an interview. "It means an event that seems like a coincidence — but you know it comes from a divine origin."

They're in the midst of writing a new Godwink book that's due out next year. 

In the meantime, they shared a story of the heart with Fox News Digital just ahead of Father's Day 2024. 

Kristen Wakefield of Sacramento, California, said she remembers her dad always saying, "A penny is still a penny, no matter how dirty it looks."

Ever since she was a child of about 8 years old, she'd collected pennies as a result of her dad's encouragement.

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After her father passed, she felt a deep sadness at the loss of someone so central, so critical, so key in her life.

Walking along the sidewalk near her home one day not that long ago, with no one else in sight, she spoke aloud what was on her heart: "I love you, Dad."

At that moment, she noticed a glint of light on the ground. 

She looked closer. 

It was a penny, new and beautiful.

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She smiled at the Godwink and said, "Thanks, Dad."

The next day, still feeling the great weight of grief, she was thinking about her father as she waited at a car repair shop for a tire replacement. 

Again, she saw a glint of light on the ground. 

This time she picked up the dirtiest, dullest, most damaged penny she’d ever seen.

Holding it between her fingers like an old Kleenex, she wondered, "Should I keep it?" 

Then she decided, "No, it’s ugly."

But somehow, her dad’s voice replayed in her mind: "It's still worth a penny – and it's free." 

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The tire technician suddenly interrupted her thoughts. He announced that her car was ready to go. 

"Thanks," she said to him. "How much do I owe you?" 

He smiled at her. "It's part of our service," he said. "It's free." 

She almost giggled out loud, she admitted later. 

And if she had… she would’ve needed to share the entire conversation about pennies from heaven that had been taking place in her mind.

Instead, she told the man, "Thank you so much. My dad would have really loved this place."

"In today’s busy world and upwardly spiraling economy, the effort to bend down to pick up a mere penny may seem senseless," Rushnell and DuArt told Fox News Digital about the Stewart story.

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"But what if that glint that somehow catches your eye is a little pathway to a Godwink about your dad – and treasured memories?" they also said.

"You wouldn’t want to miss that."

On Facebook, more than 4,000 people posted reactions to this viral story of Kristen Wakefield, her dad and the penny when Rushnell SQuire and Louise DuArt shared it.

"I find many pennies – they are from my mom, always makes me smile," wrote one person.

Said another person, "My grandpa used to say, ‘Every million starts with a penny.’"

Another person wrote, "A very kind and wealthy man once told me, ‘You take care of the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves.’ So you may not only reap Godwinks but quite possibly some extra dollars."

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Still another commenter shared, "I always pick up pennies. I was always told that a loved one in heaven is dropping them down to let you know that they are with you always."

Wrote another person, "I pick up all coins because they say ‘In God we trust,' and I trust in God – and they always say pennies are from heaven."

Anyone can learn more about the Godwinks projects at www.godwinks.com.