About three weeks ago…a friend (and neighbor) of mine, who had recently lost her father to an illness, texted me. This friend knows that I am a Christian and a “church-goer”. Up to now, I have never gotten to the point of talking to her about faith.
Her text went something like this… “Hello Lynn. I was wondering… You go to The River Church right? Would you know if they have a grief group?” I said that I didn’t know, but that I would find out or locate another one for her. I asked if it was for her (knowing she had just lost her dad). She said she had really been struggling with his passing.
Fast-forward one week… We were texting back and forth and she shared with me that she had confided in her mom, that her faith had really been rattled since losing her dad. She also shared with her mom that it had been years since she has gone to church. This fact really saddened her mom, because my friend has two young kids (ages 10 and 12).
So…I just threw it out there. “Why don’t you join us at church this Sunday at The River Church? We have an amazing pastor, incredible music, and a REALLY AWESOME kid’s church!!!” (Plus their Director of Children’s Ministry is my VERY CRAZY girlfriend Jen!No…I didn’t say that…but sure thought it though!) ;-)
We went back and forth texting…answering her questions about service times, location, etc. Then she just stopped texting. “Hmmm??? This one is all yours from here GOD” I thought. So off I went to enjoy a Pet Expo that was being held in town that morning. I made my way throughout the expo, putting my name in for EVERY drawing in the building.
I left to head home to celebrate my hubby’s Birthday. I was about a mile away from the expo when I got a call from a gal at the expo…telling me that I had won one of their main “Doggy Loot” basket drawings! I was torn between heading home to my waiting family or going back to the expo. I had this “strong sense” that I was supposed to go back to the expo to pick up my prize basket.
I skipped with giddy delight back into the expo…and WHO was standing right there near my basket? It was my girlfriend, whom I was just texting about going to church that Sunday. She said, “I am so sorry…my phone died. Yes! We would love to join you in church this Sunday.” We talked details and I went to retrieve my basket.
As I was walking towards my “winning” basket…I heard the LORD say this: “I had you win this basket so you would come back and run into your friend.” Now THAT is my kinda GOD!!!
So, in closing my friend and her kiddos came to church with us and she was clearly really moved by the music. She kept commenting on different songs and various voices. As we were walking out of church, she said, “I have NEVER heard music like that in a church before! That was sooo AWESOME!!! Thank you for inviting us…I really enjoyed it!”
So that my story of why GOD cares as much about is children as HE cares about blessing them! I guess our pooch, Bella, ultimately got blessed to by all of the loot in the basket. Like I started saying, “I LOVE how our GOD works!!!”
Feelin' blessed,
Lynn Deary
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