The Right Place at the Right Time
I believe that the Lord has plans for us beyond what we can ever dream. Sometimes, He orchestrates our lives to coincide with the life of someone else--even for the smallest of moments. Some people call this a coincidence. I call it providence. Tonight, I had a strange encounter and I really can't explain my behavior with any explanation other than the Lord.
Several weeks ago, my friend Susan from SWA sent an invitation for a small group of girls to come over to her house for dinner tonight. So after leaving work, I headed to her house, taking me on a route very different from how I usually go home. Her directions say to take Mockingbird, but I know it's easier, prettier, and smoother to go down Beverly, which goes through a beautiful, nieghborhood.
For some reason, I was really aware of all the kids and families out for a walk tonight in the neighborhood. Twins in a stroller, kids on bikes, everyone was enjoying the cooler Dallas weather. Then I came up on one house with a little 2-year old boy out front, in the driveway, in just his pajamas and his socks, wandering awfully close to the street. It must have been the Lord that tuned me in to him, because I quickly realized that unlike all the other situations I'd driven past, there wasn't an adult in sight.
I was compelled to pull over. What if he wandered into the street? He was standing in the water from the sprinklers--wouldn't his feet get cold? Where were his parents? What if a dog, or other predator came along. I didn't know exactly what I would do, but I moved to the side of the road.
I didn't want to frighten the little boy, so I just started talking to him. He turned and toddled up the driveway, but moved towards the flower beds and sprinklers. Not wanting him to get any wetter, I scooped him up. Just then, my friend Melissa pulled up. She was driving home and recognized me getting out of my car. I took the boy up to the front of the house and knocked on the door.
A woman looked through the window cautiously, then opened the door quickly. She was the little boy's grandma, and had no idea how he had made it outside. "Bless you," she said when I handed him over to her. We exchanged just a few words--mostly me describing where I'd found him and her confusion about how he got out. I didn't even ever get their names or introduce myself. As I was walking away, she said, "I think we meet some people for a reason." "I do too. God bless your family," I replied.
I have no problem believing in the interaction between the unseen spiritual world and the tangible physical world. Many times, I have experienced the kindness of "strangers" myself. But it was so interesting tonight to think of the way that the Lord anonymously used me to protect one of his little ones. It's amazing to think of the encounters that he orchestrates and the opportunities that we can experience if only we'll tune in to the people around us.
Several weeks ago, my friend Susan from SWA sent an invitation for a small group of girls to come over to her house for dinner tonight. So after leaving work, I headed to her house, taking me on a route very different from how I usually go home. Her directions say to take Mockingbird, but I know it's easier, prettier, and smoother to go down Beverly, which goes through a beautiful, nieghborhood.
For some reason, I was really aware of all the kids and families out for a walk tonight in the neighborhood. Twins in a stroller, kids on bikes, everyone was enjoying the cooler Dallas weather. Then I came up on one house with a little 2-year old boy out front, in the driveway, in just his pajamas and his socks, wandering awfully close to the street. It must have been the Lord that tuned me in to him, because I quickly realized that unlike all the other situations I'd driven past, there wasn't an adult in sight.
I was compelled to pull over. What if he wandered into the street? He was standing in the water from the sprinklers--wouldn't his feet get cold? Where were his parents? What if a dog, or other predator came along. I didn't know exactly what I would do, but I moved to the side of the road.
I didn't want to frighten the little boy, so I just started talking to him. He turned and toddled up the driveway, but moved towards the flower beds and sprinklers. Not wanting him to get any wetter, I scooped him up. Just then, my friend Melissa pulled up. She was driving home and recognized me getting out of my car. I took the boy up to the front of the house and knocked on the door.
A woman looked through the window cautiously, then opened the door quickly. She was the little boy's grandma, and had no idea how he had made it outside. "Bless you," she said when I handed him over to her. We exchanged just a few words--mostly me describing where I'd found him and her confusion about how he got out. I didn't even ever get their names or introduce myself. As I was walking away, she said, "I think we meet some people for a reason." "I do too. God bless your family," I replied.
I have no problem believing in the interaction between the unseen spiritual world and the tangible physical world. Many times, I have experienced the kindness of "strangers" myself. But it was so interesting tonight to think of the way that the Lord anonymously used me to protect one of his little ones. It's amazing to think of the encounters that he orchestrates and the opportunities that we can experience if only we'll tune in to the people around us.
posted by Katie at 10:31 PM
4 Comments:
What an amazing story! It gave me goosebumps!
Yep, total goosebumps....thanks for sharing that story Katie.
The Lord has used others to minister to me several times...but only once do I remember being the "hand-maiden of God". It is humbling to know it at the time it happens when you are the instrument God uses. I am so glad that you listened to these promptings!! Your actions certainly blessed this little boy and his grandma.
Something like that happened to me earlier this year. I went home sick from work (teaching) and while I was driving home (a different route than normal) I drove by a kid walking down the road wearing our school's uniform. I had just received an email before I left that a kid was MIA from his class. I thought this must be him, skipping. I pull over and discover it was a mentally retarded boy who missed his school bus and was trying to make it back home or school, but was lost. It was 2:00 and about 100 degrees. He hadn't eaten and had no water left. I was able to get the police to return him to school. I fully believe that God sent me to him that day.
Post a Comment
<< Home