“What a
coincidence!” I frequently heard myself saying, over and over. So many things
were happening connecting events, people and circumstances in my life, that it
was quite incredible. The most amazing part of it all though, was when I
finally realized why they were happening. It was an emotional “a-ha moment” that was a
huge turning point in my life.
God was using these “coincidences” to get my
attention, and it worked! I was a believer of fate; things happening for a
reason. I believed in God and learned
about Him through my religious upbringing.
Regularly attending catholic church and schools from elementary school,
high school and some of my college education, I thought I knew a lot about God
and the Christian teachings of my church.
What I didn’t truly know was how God had a plan for my life, which first
included a deep, personal relationship with His son, Jesus Christ. All these
“coincidences” were His works leading me towards that plan.
Years of trying to follow my own path was
wearing me down. I was craving something more. So God sent me my angel,
Shelley. We were always running into each other around town, but I never knew
her name. (Coincidence?) Until one day she reached out to me on Facebook. Shelley connected that I was in the health business,
and she was interested in a nutritional product I was using.(Coincidence?) We
instantly became friends as a result of our interests in nutrition, health and
fitness, and agreed that proper food and fitness had a tremendous effect on our
physical and mental health.
(Coincidence?) Shelley thought God brought me into her life to help with
her health goals, but He had bigger plans for me. The most powerful piece of
all was missing... my spiritual health.
Our relationship grew, and I began to know Shelley
as a beautiful friend who shared her love for God with me. Through our time
together, I saw that her undeniable faith in God gave her such peace, comfort
and joy. I wanted that feeling too, but didn’t think it was for me, or the
right time for me to go to her church. I had stopped going to my church a while
ago, after I wasn’t feeling any meaning behind it. So, I declined Shelley’s
church invitation.
Then, BOOM! ...A health problem affected a
member of my family. I knew it was a
serious issue that was bigger than I could handle, and I was terrified. I didn’t have control over this matter, and I
didn’t know how to get through it. I
turned to my God-send, Shelley. Shelley prayed with me and shared scripture
verses about God as our mighty counselor, healer and protector. She told me I
needed to give control up to Him and He will take care of everything, working
good out of every struggle.
I finally began connecting God’s plan when
an “a-ha moment coincidence” screamed my
attention. Shelley gave me a bible study
book about finding comfort only through God. Right within the book,
written in black and white, was a story of a person going through the same
exact health issue. This character in the book had the same name, same age,
same personality type, and same occupation as my family member. WHOA!..It
literally gave me chills. I looked at Shelley with tears in my eyes, and
said...”What a ......”, and I stopped. “It’s God!”. “Yes!”, Shelley said, “That’s what I’ve been
trying to tell you. It’s not a coincidence, Molly. It’s God!” God put that book
and Shelley in my life at just the right time, and it was loud and clear that He was my answer, my savior. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and
I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
I have accepted the most precious gift of all
into my heart, Jesus, completing my body, mind and spirit. All of my “coincidences” were signs of God,
God-incidences, planned out to draw me towards following and trusting Him. God
steered me through that trial in my life, but that was just the beginning. Out
of my struggles, many blessings continue to come, including my unquestionable
faith, peace, comfort and strength through constant prayer, worship, and bible
study.
