Divine Appointments and Vicki

Right before I left Dallas, I got a text from a friend who said they were praying for "divine appointments" for me during my trip to China. That phrase has been on my mind ever since and I have tried to be aware of, receptive to, and prepared for "divine appointments".

Vicki (and family).

Beautiful, tan, and just the right amount of skinny, Vicki, a mom of 5, was squeezed between me and the car seat her youngest child was strapped into. Three of her kids sat in front of us and her other two kids (he only daughter and husband) sat across the aisle. Dallas to Detroit; It was the first leg of my long journey to Beijing.

As a rule, I generally introduce myself to my neighbor as soon as I buckle my seatbelt. I mean, if we are going to be sitting thigh-to-thigh for a few hours, it is only proper to know each other's name. But, as I sat down next to Vicki, I immediately started asking all the usual questions about her kids and if they travel often as a family and if they are from Texas or just visiting. After 10 minutes of chit-chat, I begin to think that Vicki may be a "divine appointment".

Already, through our conversation, I could tell that she was a christian. So, I began to ask deeper questions. Like, how did she know her husband was "the one"; and what is her favorite quality about her husband; what sort of marriage advice she wished she had heard before they got married; what kind of Bible studies she was involved in; and what are some of the spiritual and emotional challenges to being a mom to five young kids. You know, those types of questions that a complete stranger on an airplane really shouldn't ask you. But, I was feeling bold and thought that Vicki had something to teach me.

Vicki was so kind and open, sharing many personal stories. One of the things she shared is that marriage isn't always rainbows and sunshine. No matter how strong of a relationship or how passionate a love the most important thing in a marriage is sharing a foundation built on Jesus. A marriage built on the firm foundation of Jesus can survive storms. The hardest part is choosing to never ever give up.

What a great lesson! And, it is one that I have shared recently with different readers when we get to Luke 6:46-47. The storms of life (or marriage) come no matter if you are a Christian or not. You can't prevent storms. But a life centered around belief in Jesus and doing what he says, builds a strong foundation of faith ready to survive the storms. Or, as one of my readers put it, faith in Jesus makes the roots of your life grow long and deep into the ground so that you won't be blown over when the strong winds come. Wish I could have kept the drawing that accompanied this insightful summation.

In my mind, sitting next to Vicki was a "divine appointment". Our brief time together was like adding a little extra reenforcement to my foundation of faith.