Saturday, March 29, 2014

It's a "God Thing"


Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, 
if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, 
if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, 
having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Philippians 2:1-2

Her name is Rita. We met under strange circumstances this afternoon. You see, the house next door to me is empty and I thought I might just casually walk around the fence and grab a couple of quick photos of the huge Bradford pear tree that was loaded with white blossoms. As I entered the backyard and was making my way over to the tree, I heard a voice. Uh-oh...here I am trespassing and I just got caught! Since the house was just listed this week, I thought it was probably the real estate agent. Wrong. Rita is a perspective buyer who decided to stop by on her own before she meets with the realtor in a few days for the formal showing. So, I explained to her what my purpose was for being there. After a few uncomfortable moments, we chatted mostly about the neighborhood and all of the usual things that one might chat about meeting under those circumstances. After a brief back and forth between the two of us, I found out she had recently been divorced after a 36 year marriage and she was needing a fresh start. Wow...I thought to myself...I couldn't even imagine that. We talked a bit about how we really just don't know what is down the road and that life can certainly turn out not at all as we had planned. I related her 36 year story to my husband losing his job after 36 years...and how the job he has now (which he loves) is co-managing a group home for six special-needs men and makes less than half  his previous salary. My next sentence seemed to change the course of the conversation when I added "it was a God thing", referring to his job coming at just the right time, just as his severance pay had run out. Right away, Rita asked me "So...you're a believer?" The look on her face was hard to explain when I of course answered "yes." Although she was very sweet and polite right from the start, her countenance seemed to change and a look of joy spread across her face. All of a sudden, our conversation turned toward things of the Lord.

I don't know how long we stood outside talking in her potential new backyard. I know I learned many things about this perfect stranger. I learned more about Rita's life in a matter of a few minutes than I have learned about any of my neighbors in the last twenty-two years! I learned that through an abusive childhood and subsequent abusive marriage, she was still loving Jesus...and she needed to share that with someone. She may be my new neighbor or she may not be. Our paths may never cross again. All I know is that because I decided to sneak a picture of a tree (which I never got because it got too dark) my rather uneventful day was brightened and hopefully Rita's was too...two perfect strangers found a kindred spirit within each other. Whether or not we meet again, I have no doubt...it was a God thing.  

I hope your week is blessed with "God" things!

38 comments:

  1. Don't you love it! A little bit of God's providence right there.

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  2. Those "God things" are the best happenings ever.

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  3. You may have just sold that house! I love God things, God breezes, God winks, these special moments.

    What a beautiful new header you have!

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    1. Thanks, Vee...I made two and couldn't decide which I liked best... I had the other one up for a while yesterday but decided on this...for now :) We will see what happens with Rita! If she buys the house, I wonder if the agent will give me a cut???? :)

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  4. Oh I love this! The bond we believers have in Christ makes us instant family. Thank you for sharing this great story with us!

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    1. I was grasping at straws for what to share in a post...then this happened. I knew I need to share it. Have a wonderful week!

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  5. God knew she needed to meet a person like you my friend. I know he sent you in my life...:) I love "God" things....I don't know why I'm always surprised by them. I also love your new header.....you are so good at this stuff....:))))) Have a great day my friend!

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    1. Aww...thank you Lisa...I really do think He sent her to me. I was trying to come up with a post and I prayed for inspiration as to what He would have me post about....and there she was. God is so awesome. I have to tell you this too...if she buys the house, she is going to build a chicken house and she said I could get a couple of hens and keep them in her chicken house so we could have fresh eggs! How cool is that? Hope you have a blessed day :)

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  6. Don't you just love moments like that? Amazing story, Debby. I noticed your new header...it's beautiful. Have a blessed Sunday and thank you for visiting me.

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    1. Thank you for the sweet compliment, Pamela...yes, my encounter with Rita made my weekend. Have a blessed week!

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  7. Oh Debby, I love this post. Yes, God put you there to brighten her day and I'm sure it did yours too as it's always wonderful to talk about the Lord with someone. I wish her the best on her new house search and just may become your new neighbor.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  8. Dear Friend! This is so special, we need to be willing to share as often as we can, even if we wander into the yard next door!
    I think that woman was blessed just to share her heart in such a free manner!
    Love the new spring header! I need to make some time this spring and try to get some new pictures for my own blog.
    I hope you have a wonderful week ahead, and to thinl April is only a day away...
    Love, Roxy

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    1. Thank you, Roxy...it looks like April will bring us a beautiful week in the 70s! Looking so forward to pretty blooms! Have a blessed week :)

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  9. What a beautiful encounter. Thanks for sharing this 'God thing" in your life.

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  10. Hi Debby! Our love of the Lord is so deep inside, that meeting someone else with that love creates a huge 'instant connection.' I just love that! It's like meeting a long lost relative or friend...you have something really big in common.
    I'll bet you'll become part of the decision to buy that house. "What a nice neighbor I'll have..."

    God works in mysterious and wonderful ways! Thanks for sharing your 'God moment!'
    Ceil

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    1. Ceil...wouldn't that be cool if she did buy the house? Last night at church, I was sharing about my experience meeting her and one of my sweet friends who lives down the road from me knows her from a mutual connection with a local children's ministry! We'll see what happens but I just love the way God works...regardless :) Have a blessed week, friend!

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  11. Amen, it is a "God Thing!" This is truly a precious and very special story, Debby Ray, and my heart was richly blessed. Don't you just love it when the Lord brings fellow believers together?! :) Thanks for sharing and Happy Monday to you! Hugs!

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    1. Sorry I am just now responding back...I definitely think the Lord had it all worked out :) Oh...and your mom sent me the sweetest email yeterday after I visited her new blog....what a sweetie! Blessings!

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  12. What a beautiful story. Certainly a God-thing. I have been in transition for the past 3 years. Having worked all my life and having some sense of God's direction, I have been lost for a while now Blogging has helped. This story has encouraged me and I almost didn't read. So glad I did. Debbie you have been an encouragement to me today. Thank you so much. God bless Rita. Maybe this will be for longer than a few moments and a new friendship.

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  13. Such an inspirational story of both the hardships of today's world, but also the rewards, the former alluding to Rita's challenges and the latter to your serendipitous meeting and subsequent discussion. Debby, you have brightened my dark and dreary morning, (it's supposed to rain any second!), into one of colourful hope and joy.

    Have a wonderful day!

    Poppy

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    1. Aww...thank you Poppy for your sweet comments! Have a blessed day, friend :)

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  14. What a great story to share...and yes, I believe they are moments that God gives us!

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  15. OH!! I just love God *things*!! He is so gracious in providing them, too. My mom and I were eating at a Chinese restaurant the other day, and the waitress said something about God. My mom immediately asked her if she was a Christian. She said yes. And then, like you said, the conversation just blossomed!

    I wonder about what God's face looks like when He interjects one of these *random* moments in our lives. I'll bet He gets a chuckle when He delights us so...

    GOD BLESS!

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  16. We never know when God will surprise us with chance meetings!

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    1. Absolutely, Barbie! Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!

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  17. What a blessing for you both. Isn't God wonderful?

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    1. He certainly is wonderful, Susan! Thank you for stopping buy :)

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  18. I love this story!! Truly a God thing! I believe God puts people in our lives for a reason, and you definitely found a kindred spirit in your potential neighbor. Such a sweet story! Thank you for sharing this!

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    1. Thank you Lisa! We'll see what happens...thank you for your visit and your sweet comment :)

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  19. Hello Debby,
    I'm making my"rounds" and doing some visiting. :-) I will have to come back and follow you as my phone doesn't allow me that privilege.
    Your sweet blog is a blessing. Your story of meeting the strange women was heart warming. There are no strangers in a life lived with God, is there? I stand amazed at the working of the Spirit when God brings lives together.
    Wouldn't that be wonderful to have her as your neighbor.
    The Lord bless you.

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  20. What a great post.....we all need to be on the look out for more God things....this was a good reminder that anything and anyone can be waiting just around the corner....God can use all for good, can't he? Stopping in from the Imparting Grace Linky party!

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    1. You are so right, we never know who God might put on our path or why...He certainly has a plan for us! Thanks so much for visiting and for your kind words. Have a blessed weekend!

      Debby

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  21. Isn't it amazing how those connections are made? I get surprises by "the God thing" too!

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.