Joel and
Lauren decided to move from Washington State back home to Michigan. Wanting to
make one last special memory, they bought coffee from their favorite cafe and
then stopped at their favorite bookstore. There they picked up two bumper
stickers with a favorite motto of the town they were saying goodbye to: “It’s
an Edmonds kind of day.”
After 2
weeks and a 3,000-mile drive, they entered Michigan. Hungry and wanting to
celebrate their arrival, they stopped and asked about where to find a
restaurant. Although they had to backtrack a few miles, they found a quaint
little cafe. Emma, their waitress, excited to learn they were from her home
state of Washington, asked, “What city?” “Edmonds,” they replied. “That’s where
I’m from!” she said. Wanting to share the joy, Joel got their extra bumper
sticker from the car and handed it to her. Amazingly, the sticker was from her
mother’s store! It had gone from her mom’s hands to theirs, across 3,000 miles,
to her hands.
Mere coincidence? Or were these experiences good gifts orchestrated by a good God who loves to encourage His children? Proverbs tells us, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord” (20:24 NIV). In response, let’s “bless His name. For the Lord is good” (Ps. 100:4-5).
