PRAISING GOD FOR "COINCIDENCES"
(by Guest Blogger: TiNA)

Coincidence: A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

Thank you dictionary.com, but I don't believe in coincidences. I am changing the definition to "God-structured" moments.

God's timing is perfect! I can look back over my life thus far and see these "coincidence" moments. Was it a coincidence that my current roommate and I, who used to live by ourselves, both needed to find a new place to live at the same time. Was it accidental that we were in the same small group and shared the same prayer request. How strange it was that Danielle's heart had been moved to want to rent a room in her house when it looked like I was going to go a couple of months without housing. And... that she mentioned it to my future roommate. It is also amazing that we all get along and do not get on each other's nerves.

But... I guess I was just lucky... or maybe it was God.

I choose God.

God sees the bigger picture. In Mere Christianity, CS Lewis describes how God and humans view time like that of an author and the character in the story. God the author knows the ending. He knows how and when to set in motion events that will effect the bigger picture. Where we are like the character in the story. We only know the past and present. We do not know the end or what is going on with other characters to create that jaw-dropping climax and conclusion. A suspense book is not suspenseful to the author, just those who don't know the end. (Must read that chapter in the book, because I butchered it. Mere Christianity, book iv, chapter 3, Time and Beyond)

I praise God for the song that plays on the radio that you "really needed to hear today"
Friends that out of the blue say the tough stuff you needed to hear
Pastors that prepare and preach that whole sermon just for me, even though there are tons more listening
The cards/emails of encouragement right when I need it
The hug of a friend when I was feeling down (but they didn't know)
The buddy that logs onto IM the moment I was wondering how they were doing
Meeting my beautiful nieces after 9 months of waiting and not knowing what they were going to look like



Please comment on other moments that were so "God-structured" that only He can be given the glory!

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

~TiNA