Greetings Dear Reader,
Sometimes it is faith that leads us to the stories. As I tell this story, I want to give you
permission up front to be doubtful. When
I told it to one person who no longer follows Christ he said, “It is a small
town and coincidences happen.” That is
understandable because when this same person had to do something hard, he told
me he was sure it was what the Father wanted him to do.
If you have been keeping up with my journey, (Go back to the
end of August if you need to catch up.), you know that part of what I seek is
redemption from those I have wronged in the past. I came with a list. It included people who I had no idea how to
find. After all, I have been gone for
twenty years. Thereby hangs a tale…
The first week I was in this small town I knew that I had to
jump on the task of seeking out those from whom I needed forgiveness or I would
shove it to the back burner and eventually to the cold dark recesses in the
deep freezer part of my heart. I arrived
on a Saturday. On the following Tuesday I
was driving into town to acquire a lamp for my desk.
As I drove, I prayed.
It was a simple prayer. The names
are changed to protect the privacy of others.
I prayed, “Please Father I know that you wish for me to accomplish this
task. I have no idea how to find
BOB. If you could make it easy for me to
do so I will handle seeking his forgiveness right away.”
I pulled into the parking lot of a thrift store where I knew
I could likely find an inexpensive lamp.
I walked into the unfamiliar store feeling foolish for asking God to
help solve a problem I had neglected for so long. I made my way back to the lamp area of the
thrift store. Sitting on a chair there
was the daughter of the man I was seeking.
Fear welled up in me from both seeing someone who could
judge me and the immediate and direct answer to my prayer. She greeted me with love and kindness and
told me where to find her father. I went
directly to his home and we had a beautiful good talk filled with his love and forgiveness. I left with a lighter heart and deeper
faith.
But wait, there is more.
There were two other men on my list I had no idea how to find. Emboldened I prayed to find them as
well. Meanwhile I worked my way down the
list of those I could find or write. One
of the men is someone whose teaching and spirit gave me a glimpse of what a
real father must be like was elusive to me.
I asked after him and could not get any information. Then I “accidentally” saw his wife. I did not recognize her. Another person who knew me introduced us and
the realization flooded over me that once again the Father was arranging things. This man, his wife, and I had a beautiful conversation.
Over the rest of the month I worked through the list and
there was only one more name on it. I
had not idea how to find him either.
Meanwhile I went about pursuing the other things that brought me back to
this place filled with the deepest sorrows in my life. I met my brother at a coffee shop for lunch
last week because his company in this part of the journey is a deep blessing.
As we chatted about the other things, I am sorting through
he paused. “SUCH A ONE is sitting behind
you,” he said. It was the last person on
my list. I spoke with him and he forgave
my failure to be what I was supposed to be so long ago.
How is this a story of gratitude? I am grateful that the Father made the appointments
that allowed me to find people with whom I needed to connect. I am thankful for forgiveness and beyond that
restoration of friendships that are with good men who love God. I am thankful that my brother was allowed to
see God put the last piece of the puzzle into place so that we could both take
in the picture of redemption.
So, tell me a story Dear Reader. I would love to hear about some of your divine
appointments. Thank you for your company
and listening to my tale. Even if you
can explain it all away as coincidence, I am more concerned that you feel the
need to do so. Where does that come from? What is that story?
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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