I just love the way God works sometimes. Okay, all the time......but you know those moments when you can really see God's hand at work?
About a month after Jason died, I went to a friend's Holiday vendor show. There were lots of familiar faces there- friends from college, preschool, church, etc...... I had a girl that came up to me and started talking about how sorry she was for my loss. She told me that her best friend had died in a car accident the year before and that she had read the book Heaven (by Randy Alcorn) and she explained how great it was and how helpful this book was for her. Right there, this sweet stranger handed me the book, gave me a hug, and walked away. I was very touched.
My mom was still staying with us at that time. I took the book home and within the next several weeks, my mom started to read the book. She was going on and on about how good it was...... so I tried to read it a few times but I found that I would read a single sentence 10 times and I had NO idea what I just read. My brain ...or maybe my heart...didn't want to take in any information at that time. I was on autopilot and retaining information was not happening for me. I told her that I needed to wait. She took the book home and time went on.......and I sort of forgot about it.
A few days ago (so about 14 months later), I got a strong urge to read a book. I wanted something meaningful...something that would either inspire me or stretch my faith. I discovered the Heaven book in my nightstand (I thought my mom still had it but she had returned it a while back) and decided it was time to start. I was only a few pages in and I was already in awe of it's contents. This is some good stuff. I paused after a chapter or two and tried to think back about how I even acquired the book. Vendor show. Random girl. Who gave me the book? I thought hard about this and I honestly had no idea who gave it to me. My mind was (and sometime still is) mush and I was bothered because I wanted to thank her again for it and tell her that I was finally starting to read it. No clue. I could not remember.
At preschool today.....(I know I'm all over the place but stay with me)....... one of the girls on my team was out sick and she had a sub. I thought the sub looked familiar but I wasn't sure. At the end of the day, our two classes were in chapel together and she walked over to me and introduced herself. She told me that she had met me last year at the vendor show. And that she had given me the book. Oh my! I was so excited and I proceeded to tell her all of this and about how I was loving it! I told her about how beautiful heaven sounds and how thankful I was that she gave it to me.
She told me that when she left for the vendor show that night, she randomly grabbed this book from her house to use as a prop on her table at the show. She saw me at the show, heard about my story, noticed the heaven book on her table and just walked over and gave it to me. It wasn't preplanned. (even though I fully believe God prompted her to take it that night and give it to me)
As we talked, I discovered that this was her very first day to sub at our preschool. What are the chances? I start reading the book 2 days ago? Praying to remember who gave it to me? Coworker sick and she subs 2 doors down from me?
I know without a doubt that she and I were meant to meet today. We got a chance to talk about her friend that died and about Jason and heaven and all that good stuff. It was really cool. I love when God works that way!
12 comments:
Got chills reading your post! Wow! God works in such mysterious ways. I'm intrigued to read that book now.
Well I LOVE this story. Makes me happy to be a very small part of it. :) And I agree, that book is incredible. I read it about 2 years ago. The part I remember most is how our loved ones intercede for us...amazing.
Oh I love this post and how God works. Such a warm and touching story. Makes me happy! Thank you.
As I was reading your post, I had a smile on my face...Jennifer Owen and I worked in the same classroom a couple of years ago at YCW. She is such a special, thoughtful, genuine friend. I am so glad she was there for you and was able to lift you up. How amazing that you found her - God is so good! :)
That is awesome, what a MIGHTY God we serve!
I love it! I love to hear stories like that!! God is so amazing!Thanks for sharing such a beautiful story. {{Hugs}}
That is an AWESOME story- thanks for sharing it!!
What a delightful story!
What a blessing it was to get to chat with you on Tuesday. God IS amazing!!! And this just reaffirms that is so important to follow the promptings of the spirit...which I don't always do :-( I am thankful and blessed by this as well and greatful the Lord used me in this way...blessings to you and your family Jennifer!!!
amazing...I love stories like this. There are SO MANY too...I heard one last year...can't remember now...but stuff like this is so neat. How in the world can people NOT believe?
I have been "following" you since my husband's cousin, posted something on Facebook that she wrote about her fiance that suddenly passed away and you commented back to her about where your grief process started. Well one thing led to another and I have read your posts since Jason passed away. My husband's first wife passed away 8 years ago this coming Wednesday (1-16) of Preeclampsia...she had their daughter 8 years ago yesterday 1-9. Needless to say, he and I are both school teachers and work in the same building. When all of this happened it was within the first few months that I had started teaching. Never did I dream that anything would come of it but during that summer he called me and we've been together ever since. We started dating when his (my) daughter was 6 months old. We live in a small town and we went on quite the roller coaster ride with other people and how they felt about him moving on so quickly. We got married in summer of 07 and have a child of our own in 2009 and I adopted his first daughter in 2008. We still see and spend lots of quality time with his first wife's family, probably at least once every other month if not more. Well, this past October, my husband's first wife's best friend wrote a book about their friendship. They had been friends since 4th grade and she tells all about how you should never take your friends for granted because you never know when they could be gone. I have related to many of your posts and have wanted to comment to you but never knew when the right time would be. Reading this post tonight prompted my commenting. The name of the book is We Hope You Like This Song by Bree Housley. It can be found at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com. It is fast read and will make you laugh and cry at the same time. She brings light to a very sad situation. Anyway, she has a Facebook page too so you can follow her if you like it. Just wanted you to know that I think about your family often and say prayers that things will continue to work out as God has planned...we have to believe that!! Thanks for sharing; I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading!
I have been following your blog for quite sometime now and I truly have to say it is such an inspiration! After reading this last post I turned my wonderful friend on to your blog who lost her mom about 2 months ago. She is now hooked and reading both the book and your blog!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful story with all of us! Look forward to hearing from you.
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