Divine Encounters

One of my favorite things that (I believe) the Lord orchestates is divine encounters. You know what I mean...you're at exactly the right place and the right time to help someone in need...or maybe you're the one in need and just the right person comes along to help. Maybe it's less obvious...maybe it's just a conversation that lifts your spirits...a phone call, a note in the mailbox...it can be anything that leaves you shaking your head, laughing, knowing that God divinely lined that event up in your life. We've had two of those this week, and both encounters encouraged us in our spirits. I hope they do the same for you....

Wednesday morning I met up with a running group that consisted of one of my closest friends here in Ft Worth, two other ladies that I have recently met and grown very fond of, and another girl who I had not yet met. We started on our run and began the usual chatting. I mentioned having been in Memphis over Christmas break, and the "new girl" that I had only met minutes earlier, Ashley, said "I grew up in Memphis." After several questions about high school and neighborhoods, she explained that she had actually been a little girl in the town where Graceland is located. That town is Whitehaven...which is where Chris lived as a little boy. It was getting crazier by the minute, and we were laughing at all the connections. When we didn't think it could get any crazier, I asked her where she went to elementary school...and you guessed it, she went to the same school as Chris. When I told her who my husband was, she screamed...they were buddies all the way through elementary school. How in the world do two people start out in the same city as little kids and end up in a city ten hours away 30 years later? CRAZY!!! Our mutual friend, Diedre, had already told her about this new couple in town, but she had no idea it was her childhood friend! She's a really sweet, Godly girl...we both really enjoyed that divine encounter, and we knew that God enjoyed watching us make all the connections. When I got home and told Chris about meeting Ashley, he just shook his head and laughed...knowing God had bumped us into each other :).

Today, encounter number two happened. Benton had a basketball game. One of his classmates, Maddox, is on his team, and we met his dad,Richard. We started the usual small talk about being new here...from Mississippi...from Tuscaloosa...which led to the connections. His dear friend lives there, and that carried the conversation for a while. Somehow the talk shifted to the fact that Chris is a full-time student...this led to the whole seminary conversation. His face lit up as he told us that he is a Southwestern graduate, and he now has a ministry here in Ft Worth. While we were talking about seminary, my cell phone rang and it was Katie Banks. Katie is not only a dear friend of ours from Tuscaloosa but her dad also used to be the president at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. I told Richard the phone call connection to seminary, and he said that he knew Katie's dad. Actually one of his best friends here in Ft Worth moved here years ago because Katie's dad moved here. They had been together in Virginia before here. As Richard said his friend's name, Chris and I started laughing...this was the very man (and wife) that Katie had told us bout over Christmas. She wanted us to meet them because she felt that they would be sweet mentors and Godly relationships for us to have. Our worlds had totally collided three times over! This may not make sense to you...I've thrown out all kinds of names and events, but I hope it conveys the affirmation and encouragement that it brought Chris and me. Chris had just prayed today for a little help...he felt "the blues" coming on. We still struggle with the house having not sold...it tests our faith at times. The word says in I Corinthians 2:9 that "No eye has seen, no ear has heard,no mind has conceieved what God has prepared for those who love Him." We would never have known to ask specifically for this...we never could have written these connections up on our own. God knew exactly what to do that would lift us up...He loves us, so he gives us what's best for us. He knows that the house needs to be off our books, and He's already got it taken care of(at just the right moment). Today, however, He knew that our spirits needed the lift, not our checkbook. God is so good...I feel like I am jumpimg up and down in my spirit...praising my Savior and Lord!

I hope you are encouraged as well...look for your divine encounters this week. God loves to bless his children...let's all ask for those blessing to rain down this week, and let's give God ALL the glory!!