Isn’t God amazing?
I am constantly in awe at the things God arranges. I can’t believe I spent so much of my life frustrated that God wouldn’t do things my way or trying to manage a schedule that did more to keep him out than let him in. I don’t know how much I must have missed that he wanted to spill into my life because I was so focused on getting him to do things my way. In the last few years he has won me over. His ability to connect things at exactly the right moment far exceed my ability to do so. And it is so cool.
On my recent flight to Hawaii to teach at the YWAM base in Kona, God put me next to a woman who was on her way to Hawaii to make some medical decisions for her hospitalized father who had suffered a stroke. She was a new Christian and struggling with the choices she would have to make alone for her father’s care. It was such a blessing to be able to sort through some of those things for her both at a personal and theological level. We talked for over half of the journey about her situation and the choices ahead before she settled into a nap and I into some reading.
At the end she couldn’t have been more grateful. I stayed in touch with her through the week and her father passed away Tuesday night. Isn’t it amazing how God can arrange just the conversations we need when we need them most? But we both could have missed it so easily. If we’d just sat quietly ignoring each other as most do on airplanes, we would never have known.
If I hadn’t shown an interest in why she was going to Hawaii, and if she hadn’t taken the risk to tell me the real reason none of this would have happened. It’s a great reminder to take a bit of an interest in what’s going on around you. You’ll never know how God will use it to encourage another brother or sister, or to let the world get a glimpse of him in you.
I’m also going to Ireland next week with a brother from Youngstown, Ohio who I only met a few weeks ago. Patrick Mcbane, is an Irishman who has never been to Ireland. He contacted me a few weeks ago about visiting their group. I was already set to be nearby in Western Pennsylvania, but didn’t have a hole in my schedule to arrange anything with them. But God knew better. He shuffled some things around so I had a piece of the weekend unexpectedly free. Not only did I get to meet some delightful brothers and sisters in Youngstown, but God also connected me with a brother to share this journey to Ireland. I’m not sure what all he has in mind with that, but I’m freshly reminded that Jesus has his body well in hand and connects us with others at just the right time.
So be ready! Who knows what God might want to do with the next person who crosses your path!
Wayne: You continue to bless me. Just when I need to be encouraged, Father leads me to your blog. Thanks for listening to Him.
K
Wayne: You continue to bless me. Just when I need to be encouraged, Father leads me to your blog. Thanks for listening to Him.
K
The Lord is so good. Sometimes it’s feels like we are the only ones who He is using this way, but then we find little pearls in most unexpected places. We took a trip to Ohio to see our son and his new family. While we were there we visited many old friends (we lived in central Ohio for fourteen years) and had some awesome adventures. One particular one was wanting to connect with a woman we had known very well and had lost contact with over the years. We contacted her in-laws and they let us know where she lived. Right behind the Burger King. We needed some lunch anyway and went in for a hamburger, but they got our order wrong and had to make another one which slowed us down a little. When we got out of the restaurant we looked over at the house where our friend Donna lived and lo and behold! there she was. She had just gotten home and we had a most wonderful afternoon with her and her husband. It seems they have quit going to ANY church in the area and were feeling a bit guilty about it, but couldn’t make themselves go any more. We were able to encourage them and left your book with them (He Loves Me) on CD…If we hadn’t had a wrong order at Burger King we would have left too soon and not gotten to enjoy their fellowship. Thank God that our lives are lived without so much frustration. We know when things don’t go our way that Jesus is at work in it in some way.
The Lord is so good. Sometimes it’s feels like we are the only ones who He is using this way, but then we find little pearls in most unexpected places. We took a trip to Ohio to see our son and his new family. While we were there we visited many old friends (we lived in central Ohio for fourteen years) and had some awesome adventures. One particular one was wanting to connect with a woman we had known very well and had lost contact with over the years. We contacted her in-laws and they let us know where she lived. Right behind the Burger King. We needed some lunch anyway and went in for a hamburger, but they got our order wrong and had to make another one which slowed us down a little. When we got out of the restaurant we looked over at the house where our friend Donna lived and lo and behold! there she was. She had just gotten home and we had a most wonderful afternoon with her and her husband. It seems they have quit going to ANY church in the area and were feeling a bit guilty about it, but couldn’t make themselves go any more. We were able to encourage them and left your book with them (He Loves Me) on CD…If we hadn’t had a wrong order at Burger King we would have left too soon and not gotten to enjoy their fellowship. Thank God that our lives are lived without so much frustration. We know when things don’t go our way that Jesus is at work in it in some way.