God’s Surprises

By Stacy Book


No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Do you have a close friend?  One that you can call up on the phone anytime of the day?  One that is there to listen to your problems?  One that you can share all of your concerns with?  There was a time in my life when I felt like I didn’t have a friend like that.  So what did I do?  I did the first thing everyone should do.  I prayed.

     Is anyone of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  He should sing praises.   James 5:13

Well, I did that, and boy, was I in for a big surprise.

     One Wednesday night, the kids and I were on our way to church.  When we got there, we went through the back door, as we always do, where the nursery and classrooms are.  It was my turn to stay in the nursery.  As we walked in, there was a girl and her little boy standing there.  I didn’t know them.  I’ve never seen them before.  They were just standing there waiting for someone to show them where to go.  God showed me, right then, before we even spoke, that she was the friend I had been praying for.  I knew without a doubt, God had just answered my prayer.

     But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.  James 1:6

I took her little boy to the nursery and she went upstairs to the church service.  Afterwards, we talked and exchanged phone numbers and went home happy to have met each other.  So the next day, what did my friend and I do?  You guessed it.  We talked on the phone.  It was so neat.  We had so much in common.  We talked like we’ve known each other for years.  But it gets even more interesting.  Her family just moved here.  They are from Alabama.  Her husband travels a lot with his job.  So here they are, in my hometown, in a neighborhood right behind the church I attend.  Her husband was at work that Wednesday night and she decided to visit a church close by.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.  Everything was new to her.  She was 5 years younger than me.  I couldn’t believe how much we had in common.  We’re both Christians- that’s the best thing.  She had such a love for the Lord and He was first priority in her life.

     But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:33

The more we talked, the more we got to know each other.  We came over to each others house a lot.  After a few months, our families got together.  We took the kids to Discovery Zone and ate.  Another time, they came over and ate and played outside with the kids.  We went to the little boys birthday party.  It was all decorated in Veggie Tales. 

She shared with me that her husband was not a Christian and asked me if I would start praying for him.  I told her I would.  Sometime after that, her husband had a company Christmas party.  She didn’t know what kind of party it was going to be, but she decided to go with him.  Later that night, she called, she called me crying and told me they were at the police station.  They put her husband in jail.  There had been a lot of drinking and other things going on at the party and he got himself into some trouble.  She was very upset, so I talked to her.  She wanted someone to come and talk to him.  So we called the preacher and he and my husband went to the police station to talk to him.  Before they left, the most exciting thing happened.  My friends husband was saved.  He accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior that night. 

     If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Romans 10:9

So he got out the next day and was happy to be back home.  A few weeks later, we had a New Years Eve party at church.  My friend and her family went and we all had a great time.  During the night, her husband got up in front of the church and gave his testimony.  It was so awesome.  His life had changed.  He was a new person in Christ.  Not too long after that, they moved back to Alabama.  For a while, I didn’t understand why God would send them away again.  We had become such good friends.  We still kept in touch over the next year, but I haven’t talked to her for several years now.  God sent them back home, but over the years, He has sent me many more close friends, young and old.

Friendship- What a wonderful gift God has given us.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Ephesians 3:20-21