Sunday, February 27, 2011

thirty five years in the making

Rachel (not her real name) and I met somewhere in the neighborhood of oooh about 35 years ago, for a short while growing up she lived behind me and we used to walk kindergarten together. How we have managed to stay connected all these years is a God intervention in and of itself, but He knew 35 years after we met a miracle in our friendship would occur that only He could orchestrate.  We have both lived in numerous states and for me an entirely different country, we have lost touch over years but always seemed to reconnect with each other one way or another.  This last time, we were out of contact for about 10 years when we found each other again on facebook just a few years ago. 

As I have written here numerous times I lost job back in June, I felt God moving in my life and I felt Him getting ready to move me about six months before it happened, actually now that I look back on it was probably about a good year before it happened that I felt that still small voice, don’t get too comfortable here this job is only temporary.

I wrote this in my journal about 8 months ago when I lost my job, I think I may have posted it before:

I knew there was something more for me, there had to be, I did not believe that I was put on this earth to do what I was doing. Day in and day out I would anxiously await my break through, expecting it to come in some sort of grandiose revival, instead it came by way of being summoned to HR and informed that as of that moment I was unemployed.  I would be lying if I said I was surprised, I wasn’t, I had been expecting it for months.  I virtually skipped my way onto the elevator and  rode it down the 19 floors to the ground level, offering myself up to like a turkey on the Thanksgiving table, “here I am God what do you have for me?”  That day was June 15.

What He had for me next was a journey group (aka Bible study) at church that I signed up for just a few weeks later, a journey group that I would not have been able to take had I still been working, the time didn't fit with my work schedule.  That journey group is where I met my friend Debbie, who was only there to substitute for a few classes while our regular leader fulfilled a prior commitment.  Debbie, who also writes a blog was instrumental in me starting this blog and in September of 2010 I posted my first entry still completely clueless as to what God was up to, and what He was up to, I never saw coming.  For the next six months I would write and post thinking how ridiculous it was, no one reads my blog why am I bothering with this, and I said that to Debbie, who very matter factly informed me, Debbie is very good like that, it is not about how many people read it but who reads it, she probably doesn’t even remember saying that to me, but mercy how right she was. 

It was sometime in the beginning of February when I received an e-mail from Rachel that I wish I still had, but when my computer crashed I lost most of my information, including that e-mail, just to give you an idea, my eyes were puffy from the tears for days after reading it.  Unknowingly to me Rachel had been reading my blog all along and made the choice to accept Christ as her Savior. I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that that moment was 35 years in making, that God had that moment planned 35 years ago when He brought Rachel and I together as friends, and over all these years He kept us connected.  Rachel is now on her way to a new life in Christ. It truly is a, “but God” story, and I am certainly not tooting my own horn, my fingers were simply the fingers he used to type the words that Rachel needed to hear to bring her into a relationship with Him.

I am so not kidding you, I must have read that e-mail a dozen times, looked up at the ceiling, undoubtedly with my mouth wide open, and said “is that what this has been all about, is that why You fired me from my job”?  So I could take that journey group to meet Debbie to start this blog to reach Rachel. Noooo, I thought, brushing off the notion and keeping my suspicions to myself, He wouldn’t do something so drastic.  As I found out this morning in church, you betcha He would.  We heard the testimony of a man who had almost the exact same story I just told you, except he left a job to take another one that turned out to not exactly be the job he envisioned, this man and his boss at his new job mutally agreed it wasn't going to work out  and he was going to have to eventually leave but he stayed on a little while longer to wrap up a few projects.  When the time came for him to leave, during the exit interview his boss started asking him about Jesus.  At the end of his testimony this man said, God really used some drastic measures to get to this man. Glory to God, oh how He loves us.

4 comments:

  1. This made me cry today.
    I have over a hundred or so friends on my facebook that I have never met before. They are friends who I have met throught different web-sites, most of them authors. Almost everyday I put a little scripture up, mostly positive thinking. Something that would make somebody stop and think and allow people to post their opinions. Sometimes I question myself if I am doing the right thing or not - as some of my friends are non believers. I have lost a few friends because of this. But you have re-affirmed for me that what I do is what God wants not how others can make me feel. I had a wonderful young lady from Argentina tell me right after Christmas that she gets on facebook and looks forward to my posts and that she has come to think of me as a really good friend. That she prays for me too. How wonderful is that!
    When we have something to say and it come from God, I think people want to listen, even some of the nay sayers long to hear what has been said. Especially in these dire times people want something to latch on too. They long to have faith in something good. And yes, God uses us when the time is right & when the time is perfect for that one person. Those are the best moments, our shining moments. Those are the moments we see clearly the glory that He is.

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  2. LOVE this!! What a special treat you saw the fruit of your words! So neat!! I had a similar experience too (http://fieldsgold.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-email-ever.html).

    God is faithful to bring about His heart's desires! Praying for you as you wait on Him for a new job :)

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  3. Hi Sam and Trez,

    This has truly been a special blessing, that the Lord gave me the priviledge of being part of Rachel's story, when He says He will pour out His blessings we usually think of it in some sort of material form, but I have to say I don't know how He is going to top this blessing, it is truly one of the best gifts I have ever been given. Sam, I remember reading your post about Javier and was so touched how He moved in both your lives, and what a special gift that was.

    Trez, I have to say it is the posts that I been the most terrified of writing and posting that spoke the greatest volumes to people. Don't ever think that what you are doing is a mistake, speaking about Jesus is never a mistake. I have lost friends too thinking instead of bringing them closer to Jesus I drove them away, someone said to me once, consider that a compliment because you got them thinking.

    Blessings.

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  4. Wow Kandi! What a beautiful illustration of how God sees the whole picture even when we might be asking the question why. I love when we finally see the reason behind the journey we take. So thankful that your blog (and your step out of the boat!!) was used as a testimony to your friend.

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