I wanted to share a couple of stories from my travels at Aristocrat:
Recently, I met with a young man named J.J. He works for another bus company, Vanderhoof. We did a trip to Trenton together last spring, and we ate lunch together and shot the breeze back then. A week ago Friday, I was doing a trip to Camelback Ski Area, and J.J. parked right in front of me. He waved, I waved (I didn't recognize him right away). Then, he came on the bus, and we recounted our bus trip to Trenton together. When I asked how he was doing, he said, "Actually, not that good. My mom died October 24th..." I said, "J.J., MY mom died October 24th. It was a Tuesday, right?" "Right" he said, "I'll never forget it" I asked, "How old was she?" He said, "82." I said, "She was born in 1924, right?" "Right", he said. "J.J., MY mom was born in 1924." Was this just a coincidence, or was it a divine appointment- what do you think? Then, I asked him how he dealt with it- he told me how difficult it was- I agreed. Then, he said, "I am having a difficult time dealing with death, and what happens next..." Ahh- an opportunity! So, I asked him, "Can I tell you some of the insights from 1 Corinthians 15 that have given me comfort and assurance?" And, I began to share with him some insights from the word of God about life after death. We only had a few minutes before I had to leave to pick up my group. But, before he left, he said, "It was no accident that I met with you today!" I agree! Those "coincidences" are divine appointments, if we are ready to listen and plug in to when and where the Holy Spirit leads.
Again this week, I was on my weekly Line Run from Roxbury to West Orange, and one of the "regulars" is a man named Jack. We usually talk about sports and news and weather and family and kids and grandchildren, etc.- but, today, he began talking about the death of his wife 7 years ago...I just listened, and asked how he dealt with it- it turns out that he was raised in Bloomfield by his mom as a Baptist, in the former congregation of one of my mentors, Rev. Bob Becker- BLOOMFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH. He expressed that although he had gotten away from church, he still had his faith in the Lord. He shared how a pastor met with him shortly after his wife's death and told him that the Lord still had a purpose for his life, and to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6- We recited it together- "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR WAY STRAIGHT!" We talked a little bit about what that verse meant, and then we arrived at the final stop in our line run. Again, I was not "looking" for opportunities to share, but rather the Holy Spirit helped me to "recognize" opportunities to tap into what He already was doing in people's lives. What a blessing! So, Pray for J.J. and Jack, that the words I shared would give them comfort and peace, and will draw them closer to Christ.
Recently, I met with a young man named J.J. He works for another bus company, Vanderhoof. We did a trip to Trenton together last spring, and we ate lunch together and shot the breeze back then. A week ago Friday, I was doing a trip to Camelback Ski Area, and J.J. parked right in front of me. He waved, I waved (I didn't recognize him right away). Then, he came on the bus, and we recounted our bus trip to Trenton together. When I asked how he was doing, he said, "Actually, not that good. My mom died October 24th..." I said, "J.J., MY mom died October 24th. It was a Tuesday, right?" "Right" he said, "I'll never forget it" I asked, "How old was she?" He said, "82." I said, "She was born in 1924, right?" "Right", he said. "J.J., MY mom was born in 1924." Was this just a coincidence, or was it a divine appointment- what do you think? Then, I asked him how he dealt with it- he told me how difficult it was- I agreed. Then, he said, "I am having a difficult time dealing with death, and what happens next..." Ahh- an opportunity! So, I asked him, "Can I tell you some of the insights from 1 Corinthians 15 that have given me comfort and assurance?" And, I began to share with him some insights from the word of God about life after death. We only had a few minutes before I had to leave to pick up my group. But, before he left, he said, "It was no accident that I met with you today!" I agree! Those "coincidences" are divine appointments, if we are ready to listen and plug in to when and where the Holy Spirit leads.
Again this week, I was on my weekly Line Run from Roxbury to West Orange, and one of the "regulars" is a man named Jack. We usually talk about sports and news and weather and family and kids and grandchildren, etc.- but, today, he began talking about the death of his wife 7 years ago...I just listened, and asked how he dealt with it- it turns out that he was raised in Bloomfield by his mom as a Baptist, in the former congregation of one of my mentors, Rev. Bob Becker- BLOOMFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH. He expressed that although he had gotten away from church, he still had his faith in the Lord. He shared how a pastor met with him shortly after his wife's death and told him that the Lord still had a purpose for his life, and to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6- We recited it together- "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR WAY STRAIGHT!" We talked a little bit about what that verse meant, and then we arrived at the final stop in our line run. Again, I was not "looking" for opportunities to share, but rather the Holy Spirit helped me to "recognize" opportunities to tap into what He already was doing in people's lives. What a blessing! So, Pray for J.J. and Jack, that the words I shared would give them comfort and peace, and will draw them closer to Christ.
