A BIG God Wink....

In a recent post I introduced "God Winks"....

.....those times in life when there is no other explanation for something than God just winked at you!!!!!....

those times when something happens that is not just a coincidence or happenstance but the ONLY explanation is that the God of the universe sent you a clear message and 

He winked at you!!!

One of my favorite all time God Winks happened when I was a sophomore at Baylor University....

.....I was having a difficult time....

the person I had been dating for 3 years showed a side of himself that I simply could not accept. 

The strength imparted to me in that moment to walk away from him still to this very day astonishes me!!!

but I ended the relationship and did walk away without even once looking back....

it was excruciating....

I called my mother and asked if she would come spend the weekend with me.....

.....I needed my mom!.....

She came up almost immediately, but before she arrived I went to lunch with a friend from my church back home. 

(he was a few years older and looked after me as an older brother while we were at Baylor)

I mentioned during our visit that my mother was coming up for the weekend and he asked what our plans were.....

I went through the typical "what you do when your parents come to visit you at college," 

and then I said, 

"there is a church I have been wanting to attend and I was thinking we would go there on Sunday"

When I told him which church I was speaking of I could tell from his immediate reaction that he did not approve!!!!!!

He paused for a moment and then he said,

 "well, if I were you I wouldn't go there........ and I certainly would NOT take my mom!!!"

This was at a time in Southern Baptist churches when there was an ongoing controversy about what was appropriate behavior in church...

(I grew up in a church led by my grandfather where you sang the hymns with almost a monotone voice 

(if it is possible to "sing" in a monotone voice)

and you sat up straight and did not say a single word during the service.

(There was certainly no "shouting back" at the pastor when you agreed with what he said)

This particular church that I wanted to attend was a Baptist church, but it was considered a charismatic church and not AT ALL what our church back home was like.

I said to my friend, "well.......if I'm going to go I think I would rather have my mom with me when I do"

He shook his head and we moved on to other conversation.....

Mom came and we spent the weekend, again doing what you do in college with mom in town, eating out and exploring the campus and meeting people, all the typical college student activities.

I had told her of my visit and the caution about the church, but mom said "Let's give it a try"

As Sunday morning arrived, we got ready for church and made our way....

we arrived a little early and the early service was still in the sanctuary so as we were waiting in the foyer we picked up a bulletin.

As we were standing scanning the bulletin, we both saw the scripture at the top of the first page,

"But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar with wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

At the same time mom and I looked at each other and said,

"Oh look!!! It's DanDan's favorite verse!"

I opened my bible and took out a book mark that my grandmother had made for me with that verse and a picture of my DanDan playing golf.

(I spent most of the first 9 years of my life on the golf course with my DanDan!!)

about that time the doors opened and the early service exited and we walked in and took our seats.

SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE!!!  

that was unlike both of us but that is where we landed.

The service began with a song that so clearly was my prayer that morning!!!

I couldn't hold back the tears, and neither could my mom.

As we sat down and the pastor began to speak it was honestly as though he was speaking directly to me!

The tears became harder and harder to hold back.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I thought for sure that the person behind me was going to ask me to keep it together.....but instead the older man behind me handed me a tissue and patted my shoulder.

After the sermon the pastor said that we were going to have a time of prayer

(in EVERY church service I had ever been in before "a time of prayer" meant we would all bow our heads and the pastor would pray or we would all pray silently...)

that is not what they did here.....

again....a tap on the shoulder...

I turned around and the nice older man with the supply of tissues asked me if he and his wife could pray for me.

I was a bit confused....but my mother and I turned around in the pew toward one another and put our hands on the back of the pew, he and his wife both placed their hands on our hands and he began to pray.

.....but this was not just any prayer.....

this man prayed like he knew me!!!!

In shock after the time of prayer concluded we stood to sing one last song that were the very words I would have spoken at that moment had I been face to face with God!!!!

MORE TEARS!!!

(another tap on the shoulder and another fresh tissue!!!) 

As soon as the song concluded the service did as well and my mother and I turned to thank the man and his wife behind us, but they were already gone!!!

Quickly mom and I went out into the foyer and we spotted them...

As we approached them we both thanked them for their prayers and of course the tissues!!!

We visited for a while and they offered a home cooked meal anytime at their home whenever I felt homesick.

The man's wife handed my mother her husbands business card  with their contact info and we hugged and said goodbye.

As mom and I were walking out of the church I was talking to her only to realize she was not beside me....

I stopped and looked up the stairs at the exit doors and she was frozen at the top of the stairs staring at her left hand.

I asked if she was ok and my words startled her out of the apparent daze she was in....

 she walked down the stairs to me and with no words showed me the business card.....

The man with the tissues who prayed for me as if he had known me my entire life was named 

H. E. Lee

(My DanDan was Hubert Eugene Lee)

we were both speechless and walked to the car without a word.

We got to the car and sat down and as the car started and the music came on the song on the radio was this.....

Chris Tomlin - Everlasting God (with lyrics)

A guitar teacher with years of experience. For more information on guitar lessons check out my private lessons website www.stuartlovibond.com but…

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Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord (repeat)

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary 

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

From everlasting, to everlasting
God you're everlasting


Needless to say at this point the tears were uncontrollable!!!!!
and at that moment we knew we were in the presence of the Great Comforter!!!!

May you never miss those times when God winks and you are consumed by His love and adoration for you!!!!
Happy Friday!!!