No Coincidences here...

Just a little update.

Still no word on whether Presley made either audition. She wakes up every single morning and asks if we've heard anything. Love her.

Meanwhile, Joseph is planned to participate in the county spelling bee next Saturday.

Seriously, where do these kids come from? I scratch my head quite often.

It's definitely not true that the apple doesn't fall far from tree. Because, in this case, the apples fell, rolled down the hill, and rolled right into the roaring river.

This week has been quite amazing. I tend to overuse that word, amazing, but it always seems fitting.

I had a close friend sit across the table from me at a local coffee shop, with tears in her eyes, telling me of a restored relationship in her life. After many, many years of not speaking, God had restored their relationship in a matter of seconds.

The very next day, Joseph and I were having lunch at Chic-fil-a. As we sat across the booth from one another, I am re-telling the story of Saul that we have been reading about in 1 Samuel.

We are discussing Saul's lack of obedience and how Saul jumped ahead of God's timing. Because of this, Saul lost God's favor and pretty much lost everything. Whew.

As we are discussing the story, I see a beautiful girl in the booth behind us. She is by herself and reading her Bible. I remember thinking.."Oh, Lord.. please let that be Presley one day. Please, please."

We are about to leave, when Joseph asks if we can eat at ice cream together before we go. Always a sucker for some Chic-fil-a ice cream, I easily oblige.

He is up getting the ice cream when the young girl asks if she can talk to me for a second. "Sure", I tell her.

She then proceeds to tell me of how she was listening to the story about Saul that I was telling Joseph. She said she needed to hear that very message at that very moment.

Her eyes flooded with tears as she showed me a passage in Acts that God had just showed her as she sat down in the booth. It was a verse on waiting and not rushing ahead of the Lord.

We were both stunned. She then proceeded to tell me of how she had been in a 3 year relationship with a guy and he had broken her heart. She was so confused, and angry at the same time.

She wanted answers from the Lord over why this was happening. She still loved this guy and needed to know why the relationship was not God's plan at this time.

God was trying to tell her to be patient and praise Him in the waiting.

Oh man, we were both just awe struck by our whole conversation.  God had seated us at that very booth so that we could talk to each other. Wow.

I got her number, she got mine and I hope to hear how her story unfolds one day. I pray that she will just trust the Lord, and know He is working this out for her in her best interest.

Her name was Brittany, she was 19.

Not only was the Lord showing her something through all of that, but He was showing me something.

God was showing me that all of this...all of this, is for His purpose. Even the smallest details of my day are orchestrated by Him.

Joseph on any other day would have been in school. He was sick that day and I had taken him to the doctor. I would normally never take him out to eat on a sick day. However, I felt like I should that day.

Man, the Holy Spirit had this all planned out. It still gives me chills.

Today, I get a phone call from a loved one that something incredible has unfolded in her marriage. Something that we have been praying for, for a very long time.

Really?

Coincidence?


Never.

God is in charge of all of this restoration. He orchestrates every detail.

He wants me to know that He is at work. He is doing His part in all of this.

I must trust Him, and praise Him in the waiting as well.

I know this is just the first of many red-birds (as I like to call these kind of moments) that I will see along the way. They never get old. I am always left dumb-founded and completely struck by our God.

What's your red-bird, friend?

Seek Him, He is longing to show Himself to you.

ever in awe,

jill