One of the most recent stories that reminds me we are not alone in this world, and that I'm not crazy for acting on the feelings and impressions I receive rather than what the world tells me to do.
On Wednesday I went to my friend L.'s house to practice and discuss our plans for going to Arizona next week. I've been asked to be in charge of the youth portion of a forum down there, and L was one of the people I brought on to my team. We were discussing the 45 minute presentation he had put together to share with the youth, and some possible changes and revisions, when there was a knock on the door. It opened and S. walked in. I was very surprised and overjoyed, for she is one of my best friends and I had not seen her for several months. It was pure providence that we happened to be at the same house at the same time. L. had to leave to run some errands, and S. and I just sat there in his house and talked and talked and talked. One of her biggest fears and most powerful gifts is speaking. As we discussed our dreams and current projects, I kept having the feeling to invite her to come to Arizona with us to speak to the youth. I hesitated, however, because our schedule was pretty well filled, and I didn't know how we would fit her in. At last I decided we could take the time planned for Q&A at the end and let her use it. I asked her to come. She was scared but excited, and said she would see if she could get off work to be there.
Fast forward to last night. I had just gotten out of an Institute class and was on my way over to J.'s house to wish him a happy birthday. I had never come to his house from that direction before, and got a little lost. As I wandered around looking for his street, my phone rang. It was not J., as I thought it might be, but A., one of the people I'd asked months ago to come to Arizona and speak at the forum with us. As we talked, it came out that she is doing a lot of very powerful things with her life, and that because she is so busy she feels like she may not have time to prepare as fully as she would like for her portion of the forum. She did not want to back out of her commitment to me, but she was wondering what my thoughts were on her situation. After hearing her circumstances and feelings, I said, "Let me tell you a story." I told her about S. happening to be at L.'s house the night before, and my feeling that I should ask her to come speak. A. replied that it had been about that time that same night that she felt pretty sure that she should not come.
The point of the story is, of course, that there are greater things at work in this world than what we can see with our eyes. Immediately after hanging up with A., I called S., and she said she was planning on it. Then I started driving again. I thought that J.'s house was to the east of where I was, but kept having a feeling I should go west instead. I went west, and within two minutes was parked in front of his house.
It is moments like this that remind me that whatever seems to being going on on the outside, God really knows what He is doing. I believe Him.
Je crois.
