When God Can't Help But Say Hello - A Weekend of Blessings
There are moments in life where God proudly, unabashedly, but gently says "Hi!" And whilst arguably it happens every moment of every day, there are certain times that we have no reason to say that He hasn't.
For me, this past weekend has been one HI after the next. I woke on Saturday morning with the sun beaming and the cool breeze stirring. A quiet morning through the city walking to Church had me face to face with my saviour. He was pointing out the beauty of the day to me - "look, see the shimmer of the water? I had you in mind when I created it." "See the wild flowers popping up amongst this concrete jungle? I knew they would bring a smile to your face and peace in your heart." The gentle murmurs of my Lord had me singing for joy - my favourite hymns dancing off my vocal chords and my chest full of the breath of life that He daily blesses us with: I was alive.
A deep, enriching Sabbath school lesson followed by a timely message on mental, physical and spiritual health brought further awe and clarity of the image of God, and the image that I was created in, as though the moral of the story is that we may want something, but God wants something better. And it's always the way.
A delicious lunch where I say opposite and beautifully inquisitive girl who incidentally had Autism (though all I saw in it was the patience and wonder of Jesus in it all). She asked me all sorts of questions: Are you white? What colour am I? We're the same though, aren't we? Why is your fringe so long?
I hated the thought of leaving the company I was in at that moment. This small church community was blessing me from the morning till the afternoon. I had plans, however, to catch a train to Rugby with Trish - Canadian Jamaican girl that I'd gratefully met the week before. We had a moment of panic as she turned up late for the train but I said "let's just see if God can sort this out for us." As we walked up to the customer service desk, we prayed. Nitesh, the man at the counter called out our stupidity for getting advanced tickets then missing the train. He took pity on us and offered to give us new tickets for £5 each but I was aware God was teaching us a lesson for being prepared on the Sabbath. I looked at Trish - I don't feel comfortable with this. As we looked back to tell Nitesh that it was okay, that we would forgo our trip, he has signed off on the back of our tickets for a free fare. The gratitude, joy and humility sprang forth from Trish and I. "God was working through you!" We exclaimed. That moment allowed us and hopefully Nitesh to realise just how God works. He doesn't reach down as if we're chess pieces. He uses each of us for each on of us. He woos our hearts, encourages our loving nature.
By the time we were at Rugby walking into the church where an acapella concert was being held, Trish and I were on a high. But the joy did not stop there. The music, the voices, the message - they pierced our humble souls. I could feel God just grinning ear to ear. He was in that place. But the icing on the cake was seeing three familiar faces sitting in the pew across the aisle from me: my favourite girls from Leeds Central Church who had on so many occasions just blessed me with their presence, patience and love toward me - an outsider with a very difficult string of decisions to make after finally coming back to God. It was a blessing that left Trish and I wiggling back down the main road towards the station singing "how do you feel?" "I feel alright!" on repeat.
Sunday brought adventure, friendship and heart felt moments of connection. Laurie and I rode together to meet the group exchanging thoughts, words, and moments of deep clarity for one another. Eventually, with me sandwiched between two burly Jamaican men, we were all off towards Kent - our hearts ready with excitement for the afternoon of quad biking and countryside ahead.
In between turns of biking I took a moment to walk out into the sun soaked field ahead: God was in that place, yearning for me to spend a quiet moment with Him. I quietly cried out to Him in my joy - He was ready for my praise, showing me wild flowers, four leaf clovers, and the lowering dance of the sun in the long grass.
As we finished up for the day, Isaac reminded me that I had challenged him to a mud fight. Knowing that my recent endeavour in life was to keep my word, but also so absolutely enthralled by the possibility of going crazy in a paddock, I said "game on." Unfortunately, going up against a burly and incredibly fit man in this instance isn't ideal. He picked me up, tipped me over and threw me in a puddle - my whole body soaked through and convulsing in laughter. I ran after him and the other boys joined in. Laurie, pristine in his denim shorts and Breton striped top did not last that way for long as I threw a mud ball straight at him. The others reluctant to let us in the car told us to run to the end of the road to dry off and we ran - me barefoot along the muddy, stoney ground feeling absolutely free.
God was saying a massive HELLO in these moments. Over and over. In the car back, with mud in their beards and in my hair, we sang praise to God - the guys breaking into song and in a childlike manner just breathing in God's presence and blessings for them. I sat between them like the cream filling in an Oreo just adoring the moment. It brought me back to my youth and it was a promise that there is more of this joy to come.
