Its a tough world out there right now, isn't it?  Turn on the news and you'll find an array of fear-inducing scenes.  Today alone, the headlines are reporting wildfires, terrorism, and wars.  Tomorrow will be the same reports, perhaps with different tragedies. Truth be told, I don't watch much of the news anymore.  After a while, it starts to create sadness, fear and anxiety in me.  

But, even everyday life can carry the weight of negativity.  Today, I woke up knowing I had several stressful meetings at work.  I needed to go into the office, so I had to navigate icy roads to get there.  I didn't sleep well last night, so I was tired.  I woke up angry and had to remind myself to forgive people who wronged me.  (This lesson in forgiveness seems to never end.)  These challenges aren't particularly unusual, but even usual everyday life can be hard.  

Have you considered how much we overcome on a daily basis?  There's appointments, deadlines, and unexpected curveballs that come daily.  It can feel like the deck is stacked against us before we ever get out of bed!  But, even if it feels that way, God reminds us the deck is not stacked against us.  It is actually is stacked against our enemies.    

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

God is always protecting us, because He loves us so much.  If you're struggling with the overall negativity of the news, everyday life, or simply dealing with fear that's running rampant, I've got a few thoughts to keep in mind.  

1.  Be a light in the world but don't take on the problems of the world.  Perhaps some of you are in the stage of life I'm currently experiencing, with kids who are entering into adulthood.  My daughter is twenty-two years old now.  She is making her own decisions, and it can be hard to adjust from being a mother to teenagers to letting my kids live independent lives.  My daughter doesn't always make decisions I agree with.  It doesn't mean she's intentionally doing anything wrong, but I can see problems coming down the road from decisions she might make out of inexperience.

However, all of us had to learn to be adults by experience.  I don't know why think I need to give her a complete rundown of how to do everything (which she loves, by the way), but I like to think I am simply sharing my wisdom.  The problem comes when I start to take on her problems as my own, instead of letting her learn how to navigate life. 

We're working through this together, and thank God, we are growing closer as we enter this new phase in both of our lives.  But, more and more, my role is to be a light in her world, not to take on her problems.  

Its the same with headlines in the news.  I have no control over those events, I am just called to be a light.  God is the authority over the world, not me.  With normal every day life, I will give my best effort towards my responsibilities.  But, there's always going to be things outside of my control.  I'm called to be a light, trust God, and not take on problems that aren't my own.

2.  Fear always discounts the presence of God.  Fear is a mirage.  A mirage is an image which looks real, but isn't really there.  As a person gets closer to a mirage, it disappears.  Fear is the same way.  When you step closer to it and confront it, it disappears.  

Fear's job is to convince you of the worst possible outcome of any situation.  Once the seed of negativity is planted, fear reminds you of the worst possible outcome again and again.  It will continue to do this until you begin to believe the worst outcome is not just a possibility but an inevitable reality.  Fear is one of Satan's most effective weapons against people of faith.

But, God tells us no weapon formed against us will prosper.  Our minds must counteract fear with scripture, because scripture tells us God is with His people.  He brings victory to situations with no hope.  He confuses and confounds our enemies, so there's no doubt God Himself has entered into war on behalf of His children.

The Bible tells us not to fear three hundred and sixty-five different times.  That's one reminder for every day of the year.  God tells us to be strong and courageous, not to be frightened, because He is with us.  He tells us He will strengthen us and even uphold us.  He says whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.  

Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Proverbs 29:25 - The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

God cares about our mindset and He does not want us living in a state of negativity and fear.  He knows fear causes bondage, and He doesn't like anything that puts His children in bondage.  

3.  Declare God's Promises.  I have been watching a lot of football lately, which means I am also watching a lot of commercials.  I keep watching all of these new, fancy cellphone commercials.  I have been thinking about my phone and how it doesn't have the latest, most awesome-est technology.  Finally, last week, I broke down and ordered a new phone.

I'm really excited.  I told my kids about it.  I told them about all of the newest, coolest features and we even watched some YouTube videos about it together.  I explained the AI that's coming on this phone, and how it will be able to do so many things my old phone couldn't do.  My kids are excited, too, because they want to see the new phone.

"Mom, where is it?  I want to see it." my daughter said.

Even though I was excited about it, I didn't actually have the phone yet.  With the snowstorm that has hit our region, shipping was delayed.  

"I haven't gotten it yet," I told her.  "But I know its coming.  Its in the mail."  Then I showed her the anticipated delivery date on my phone.  I don't doubt whether or not it will arrive, because it has been promised by the phone company.  

We should feel the same way about God's promises.  The Bible says to believe and receive.  If God said it, then its coming.  He doesn't lie, so we can count on His promises.  God promises us His love, guidance, protection, forgiveness, blessings, and even His presence.  That's by no means an exhaustive list, either.  

Are you waiting on guidance for a tough situation?  Its on the way.  Do you need protecting from forces that are threatening to do you harm?  You can count on it.  Do you need healing from years of hurt?  Well, God has promised it to you and it is coming.  

In the meantime, you can go ahead and declare it.  I don't have the new phone yet, but I am still telling everyone about it.  I know its coming.  You can declare God's healing over your past.  You can thank him for delivering you from a difficult situation, even though you're still in it.  You can praise Him because this world is still under His authority, and He has already obtained victory over it.  God's promises are true, and they are reliable.

I checked my schedule for the upcoming week and I felt fear making a play for my peace.  I had to take a deep breath.  There are some things on the schedule that feel challenging, even insurmountable.  But, things that feel like mountains to me are nothing for my God.  He hands me victory after victory, and the deck is stacked against anything trying to harm me.  All He asks from me is to show up and not be afraid.  

I can handle that.

We visited the Grand Canyon over Christmas break.  I had never seen it before, so it was one more thing I can check off of my bucket list.  What an incredible, wonderous phenomenon.  God's handiwork displayed on this canvas called Earth is really something to behold.  As my kids said, the Grand Canyon is really grand.  It lives up to its name.

It reminds me of when I was once hiking up a mountain in Alaska.  We'd been hiking for several hours, and we were on a flat area of the mountain that was absolutely covered with wildflowers.  The sun was shining through the clouds and the flowers almost appeared as if they were backlit.  It was a gold spotlight, highlighting all of these gorgeous colors.  I'd never seen light like that before.  

The mountain range overlooked the sea, and I remember thinking to myself, this must be what heaven looks like.  It was the most beautiful scene I'd ever witnessed, to this day.  At that moment, I realized my mind couldn't imagine anything more stunning.  It was the only time I can recall being brought to tears by something so beautiful it could only be credited to God.  It took my breath away.

It makes me wonder.  What kind of God is so creative?  What kind of God cares so much about our surroundings, or about beauty in general?  Fascinating to think about, isn't it?

He not only made our surroundings beautiful, but He also made us beautiful.  Did you know that you're beautiful?  If you don't know it, let me tell you.  You are.  I'm not talking about the world's beauty standards, because those standards aren't true beauty.  

1 Samuel 16:7   But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Those laugh lines that are appearing more frequently on your face?  Beautiful.  How could years of laughter not be beautiful?  Gray hair starting to appear, or perhaps it has fully arrived?  Beautiful.  Those are years of walking with the Lord, and your wisdom was earned.  

Your sense of humor?  Beautiful.  Your thoughtfulness even though you've experienced years of hurt?  Stunning.  Your kindness towards those in your life?  Gorgeous.  Your laugh?  He loves it.  Your tears?  He collects them.  Your faithfulness?  He is moved by it.  

In God's eyes, it is not uncommon to become more and more beautiful as we get older.  Don't get me wrong, He thinks all of His daughters are beautiful regardless of age.  But, He sees the heart, and something happens to our hearts when we've walked with God for a long time.  

The kids and I hiked around a portion of the rim of the Grand Canyon on our vacation.  It was my favorite time of the entire trip.  We were away from the crowds, the tour buses, and the gift shops.  It was the three of us on a trail, overlooking some of the most stunning scenery imaginable.  There were no sounds except the ravens circling in the sky.   

Heaven for an introvert.

Both of my kids were ahead of me on the trail.  I was slow, because I kept stopping to take in the views and snap a few pictures.  But, the thing about taking pictures of the Grand Canyon is nothing seems to truly capture its beauty.  Its one of those wonders you have to see in person.  I tried and tried, but I was never happy with the photographs.  

I can tell you, however, that the true beauty is inside the canyon.  Layers and layers of different colored rock (sediment?  I didn't do well in Geology class) are what make it beautiful.  Some appear to be white.  Some look red.  Some look purple.  Some look orange.  The layers were created over time, under pressure. Together they look like a painting, created by a talented artist.

When we walk with God, the layers inside of us become beautiful, too.  Have you ever thought about the different chapters of your life and the type of layer it would create?  I've got a childhood era that has a lot of layers.  What about when you became an independent adult?  When/if you got married ?  When/if you had kids?  If layers are created by time and pressure, I should have a few.  Some still have jagged edges.  But, all together, they're the beautiful story of a life that I've been privileged to live.

The kids and I finished our hike and found a restaurant for lunch.  It was crowded, and we got in line behind other hungry tourists waiting for a table.  I immediately missed the solace of the hike, and I knew I had just experienced the highlight of the trip.  God's beauty is incomparable, and even the smallest glimpse of his handiwork is rejuvenating to me.

How I love Him.

We are preparing for a large snowstorm this weekend.  I, no longer a homeowner, do not need to worry about things such as my roof, my pipes, or shoveling my driveway.  I am not bragging.  Okay, maybe I am.  But I am also so grateful the Lord helped me to sell my home and simplify my life.  We would be digging ourselves out for days after this storm.

However, this post isn't about gratitude although I'd rather write about gratitude.  This is another post on forgiveness because if I have to continue learning this lesson, I figure I will drag all of you through it with me.

The thing with divorce is that it makes some people really sad.  It also makes some people really angry.  I fall into the latter category.  I am a recovering hothead, and my anger tendencies got so much worse through my divorce.  Sometimes things still happen that light the fuse straight to my red hair.  One of those things happened in the past few weeks.  

It was a situation that didn't have anything to do with my divorce, actually.  But, one of the lessons I learned from the aftermath of my divorce was I need proper and healthy boundaries.  I have done (and still am doing) a lot of work in this area.  It means I no longer drop everything for other people's needs (unless God asks me to), and I do not sacrifice myself (unless God asks me to) simply to please other people.  I've lived my entire life trying to get other people to like me because I didn't like myself.  The divorce magnified this greatly, and God has been trying to grow me in this area.  

So, this is a change for friends who are used to having my center of attention anytime they want.  True friends understand the reasons for my change, and they're supportive of my health and my new boundaries.  Others don't handle it so well.

I was dealing with the "don't handle it well" scenario while trying to establish healthy boundaries. I did something new for me, and I declined an invitation to see a particular set of friends.  Instead, I decided to allow myself time to rest and recover from a very long week at work.  Not only did I decline the invitation, I told them I probably wouldn't see them for a few months due to my hectic work schedule. 

All of a sudden my friends were no longer so friendly.  They became rude and demanding.  

Years of sacrifice for these friends, years of dropping everything for them when they needed me, and they can't be supportive when I am exhausted?  I was surprised.  I was hurt.  But, mostly, I was really, really angry.  

Yes, my fuse was lit over this situation.  I played scenarios in my mind.  How can I make sure they know they are wrong?  I needed to send the message loud and clear.  I pondered on this over and over.  Then, I went from pondering this situation to replaying things that happened fifteen years ago in my marriage.  I was wronged then, too!  I thought about things that happened in my childhood.  I was wronged then, too!  

I only had one problem.

Years of walking with our precious Savior have taught me when I'm this mad, I'm the one who is wrong.  How I wish it wasn't true.  But, Jesus has shown me that even if I'm completely, absolutely, and totally right (and I am right to set boundaries) but I am reacting with fury, I am wrong.

It was a shame, really, because I was on a roll.  I was about to set a lot of wrongs right.  I had imaginary text messages written in my head.  Fully edited.  But, the Holy Spirit put a quiet little question into my mind.  Are you really sure you want to allow your anger to control you like this?  

I didn't like the question.  I was, after all, setting boundaries God asked me to set.  So, I took to my journal, as per my usual.  I explained the situation to God, and I tried to find rationale for my rage.  There was none, no matter how many angles I explored.  God said exactly what I knew He would say.  I want you to forgive, and I want you to let this go.

So, now I had a choice.  I could listen to God or I could listen to my flesh.  One leads to freedom, the other leads to bondage.  I could make the hard decision now to forgive and walk in freedom, or make the easy decision to rant and live with hard consequences.  If I'm being honest, what I wanted to do is rant and send those well-written text messages.  But, I know deep down, I'm not on this earth to do what I want to do.  

I asked God how I could possibly forgive when I'm this mad.  Forgiveness is a great thing, yes, but I don't know how to practically make it happen.  But, again, God really isn't one to entertain my excuses.  

Pray for them.  Forgive them.

I told God that I would pray for them.  I would even say the words "I forgive them" in my prayers, but I knew I was still going to be mad for days and possibly weeks.  I would say the words, but nothing in my body was going to feel it.  It wasn't going to be sincere.

Every time you get mad, pray for them.  Forgive them.  Do your part and I will do mine.

If I prayed for them every time I got mad, I'd be praying all of the time!  How was this going to work exactly?  But, once again, I knew that if I didn't make the hard decision now to forgive I would be up all night, mad.  This girl really hates to lose sleep.  I would smolder for days, be miserable, and I would lash out at my kids.  Then, I would feel guilty and hate myself for being the angry Mom.  I really didn't want another ride on that emotional roller coaster.  I've ridden it enough.

All of a sudden, this became about me instead of  them.  I started to fully understand I was going to be the one who suffered.  So, I decided to try.  I mean, really try.

The first day was such a battle.  Every time the situation popped into my head, I would stop the thought process, pray for them, and tell God I've forgiven this and I am letting it go.  Sometimes it would pop into my head again five minutes later.  I'd have to do it all over again.  I must have prayed twenty or thirty times.  It was exhausting.  But, you know what?  Rage and anger are exhausting too.  So, I decided I'd rather fight the flesh than succumb to it.

That night, I told God I wasn't going to go to bed angry regardless of my absolute desire to fall back into my old behaviors.  As much as I could choose, I was going to choose forgiveness.  I couldn't believe it, but I slept like a baby that night.  It was a deep, peaceful sleep and I knew God was in this battle with me.  

The second day was a little easier, but not much.  The situation popped into my mind again shortly after I woke up.  So, I went through it all again.  I prayed.  I forgave.  I told God I was letting go.  Then, I did it again.  And again.  And again.  Once again, at the end of the day, I slept peacefully.

I awoke the third day and the situation popped into my head again.  But, this time things were different.  I had clarity that didn't exist before.  I wasn't angry.  I thought about their side of things.  I wondered why they were so afraid to allow me some space.  I thought about things that had happened to them, and fear they possibly had of losing people.  I didn't know why they reacted the way they did, but I came to the conclusion that it ultimately wasn't about me.  These issues were likely between them and God, and truly I did need to pray for them.

Then, miraculously, I was able to let it go.  If they continue to treat me this way, I reasoned, then they weren't my friends to begin with.  But, I can let it go.  If need be, I can also let them go.  I can do all of these things and not be angry anymore.

This may seem like common sense to other people, but this was a brand new thing for me.  The light bulb above my head turned on.  I have the ability to do things regardless of how I feel, including forgiveness.  I can be really, really angry and still choose to forgive.  I can be obedient to God during the storm, while the feelings are bubbling over.  My feelings do not get the final say! 

What a revelation for me.  What a new level of freedom.  I came across these verses in Job that were timely for me.  By revisiting every wrong that's ever been done to me (and also not recognizing wrongs I've done to others), it feels like entertaining evil in my mind as referred in the passage.  If you refuse to entertain it, you'll keep a firm grip on life and troubles will fade away.  

Job 11: 13-20 “Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him, If you scrub your hands of sin    and refuse to entertain evil in your home, You’ll be able to face the world unashamed and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless.

You’ll forget your troubles; they’ll be like old, faded photographs. Your world will be washed in sunshine, every shadow dispersed by dawn.  Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again; you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy.

Expansive, without a care in the world, you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing.  But the wicked will see none of this. They’re headed down a dead-end road with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”

Isn't scripture fascinating?

I am amazed how lesson after lesson from God always results in my freedom.  He truly wants no bondage to contain his daughters.  He wants us free, happy, content, bold, brave, and confident.  Anything holding us back is going to be at odds with our God.  

What a Savior.

We sat down for dinner on the train.  It was getting dark, and windows showed shadows of buildings and landscapes as we passed through small towns.  We were in the dining car, and there were tables covered with white linen tablecloths in a row, down the length of the car.  Each table could seat four people.  Since there were only three of us, we would be seated with someone we didn't know.  The train had to make use of all the space it could.

We were seated with a single elderly gentleman.  He brought a book with him to read while he ate.  He wasn't intending to have much of a conversation, which suited my inner introvert just fine.  For the first fifteen minutes or so, he read while the kids and I chatted about everything and nothing in particular.  

After a while, he started to warm up to us.  Maybe it was our chatty nature, or perhaps he simply wanted a break from his book.  When the food was served, he had to put down the book anyway.  So,  he began to talk with us a little.  He was from Indiana and he lived on a farm.  He didn't give many details of his trip, and I didn't ask.  But, he'd ridden trains before.  

When he talked about his past trips, he always referred to "we".  We went to California.  We enjoyed the steak restaurant.  But, on this trip, it was "I".  I wondered if "we" referred to his wife and I also wondered if she had perhaps passed away.  

I looked at his left hand, but there was no wedding ring.  It didn't mean anything, but I couldn't help but wonder.  Perhaps she died before they could go on this trip together.  My heart went out to him.  

I stole a glance at the book he was reading.  It was called The Art of Racing In The Rain.  It was a good book and we'd watched the movie as well.  He asked us if we were familiar with it, because he couldn't put it down.  We told him yes, and we wouldn't spoil the ending for him, but it was quite a story.  

This ended up becoming a conversation gold mine as the topic shifted to dogs.  He told us all about his Golden Retriever, her loyalty and her charming personality.  He really missed her.  We love dogs, so the three of us enjoyed asking questions about the dog and sharing pictures of our Husky.

He mentioned some friends were watching his dog while he took this trip.  It confirmed my suspicion that no one else was at home.  I wondered how his wife died.  I thought about him returning home, alone, to his dog.  

After we finished eating, we said our goodbyes and wished him well.  The next day, we returned to the dining cart again for lunch.  The same man was sitting there, waiting for us.  He'd already eaten, but he wanted to see us again so he could show us pictures of his dog.  He pulled out his smartphone and we genuinely enjoyed looking at about a dozen pictures of a beautiful golden retriever.  

In one of the photos, the dog was curled up around the neck of an older woman.  She had a friendly face and I smiled at her hair.  It was dyed bright red but the color faded, resulting in a significant purple hue.  

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Oh that's my girlfriend." he answered.

I was so surprised.  How dare he have a girlfriend when his wife just died?  Perhaps he'd just begun dating and his wife passed a long time ago.  Maybe he'd lived his entire life single.  But, if that was the case, who was "we"?  And why wasn't the girlfriend watching the dog?  There was a lot going on with this situation, but you know, I'm not one to pry.    

Again, we said our goodbyes and he went on his way.  

The next day, we returned to the dining car for dinner.  We had a later dinner time, so by the time we'd arrived, there were no single riders to be paired with us for dinner.  I noticed the elderly man had been seated with another group.  The three of us chatted throughout dinner and as soon as the other group exited, he walked over to our table and sat down in the empty seat. 

"I finished the book," he said.

"Are you all right?"  I asked.  "We didn't want to spoil it for you, but its a very emotional ending."

"You're not kidding." he said.  "I think I need therapy."

I told him the story of when I was reading Where The Red Fern Grows.  Alex, my son, had a follow-up appointment at the cancer hospital.  At this point in his journey, his health was fine and we were there simply for a check-up.  But, at the time I was reading Where The Red Fern Grows in the waiting room.  If you've ever read the book, you know it is probably the saddest dog story ever written.  I was sobbing  uncontrollably as I made my way to the end of the book.  

Just around that time, the hospital was giving a tour to help with fundraising efforts.  All of these nice people were making their way through the lobby while the guide explained the different amenities for children in the waiting room.  Meanwhile, I sobbed in the corner uncontrollably.  I'm sure everyone thought my son was dying.  But, no, I was just reading Where The Red Fern Grows. 

The old man laughed at my story.  "I bet they raised a lot of money that day," he said.

"Well, they should have.  I was very distraught."

"I've never read that book," he said.

"I'm not sure I'd recommend it right now," I said.  "You need recovery time first."

He agreed, then got quiet.  "I miss the smell of my dog," he said. 

"That's a real thing," I told him.  I remembered my days of severe anxiety and my weekly therapy sessions.  The therapist asked me to think of calming things during one of my sessions.  I told her playing with my dog, petting my dog, and even the smell of my dog.  So, I knew what he meant when he said he missed her smell. 

"Yes, it is a real thing," he replied.  Interesting to me that he never once mentioned missing his girlfriend, but you know, that was none of my business.  

Our train was nearing the end of its journey, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card.  

"If you'd like to keep in touch and share dog pictures," he said.  

I looked at the card.  It had his name, followed by a comma, then the word Friend.  It had his e-mail address and phone number, and the rest of the card was blank.  I was struck that someone would carry around business cards as a means of making friends.  We said our goodbyes one final time.

If there's one thing I've learned during my walk with Jesus, it is that nothing in life is a random encounter.  I certainly don't know why the connection was made with this old man, but I know there was a reason.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.

"That man was my favorite person we've met so far on this trip," my son said as we navigated the train station.

"Mine too," my daughter agreed.

I thought about what I would put on a card if I carried one around.  What if there were only one word to describe me?  Would it be Friend?  Accountant? Chocolate Lover? (technically that's two words) Introvert?  Here's my card.  I want to be your friend but I don't know how to articulate it because I'm an introvert.  

What would Jesus put on his card?  Savior. Friend.  Redeemer.  How do you describe Him without writing paragraphs? I don't think you can. The prophet Isaiah also struggled to describe the Messiah in one word. 

Isaiah 9:6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Can you imagine if the Messiah sat down at a table with you, just like the elderly gentleman did on our train?  If you looked into his eyes, would you know He created you?  Would you immediately recognize Him?  Would your heart skip a beat, sensing you were sitting across from perfection in the flesh?

It happened to the woman at the well.  She knew he was the Messiah.  Not immediately, though.  She was going about her everyday duties, drawing water at the well.  It was hot, and she wanted to finish her chores.  Then, out of nowhere, she had a random encounter with a stranger that would change her forever.  

She met her Creator.  

At first, she thought He was a prophet.  But when He told her He was the Messiah, she knew it was true.  He could tell her every detail about her life, even the details she wasn't so proud of.  She was so stunned by Him, and so excited that she ran away to tell everyone else.  She even left her water jar at the well.  

John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

I think about this scenario sometimes.  What would I do if I ran into Jesus?  I think I would cry for a long time.  I would cling to Him, begging Him to take me with Him wherever He was going.  If he were coming to my house, I'd likely go into full Martha mode, cleaning every surface in sight.  I relate to Martha, by the way, because I fully understand her plight.

But, what I would do in this scenario really doesn't matter.  The question is what would He do?  If we ran into Jesus, what would He tell us?

I'm sure many things He would say would be unique to us as individuals.  But, I do know this much based on the Bible.  He would tell us we are His daughters.  He would say He loves us.  He would say He was proud of us and our faith, no matter what kind of shambles our life might be in.  He would tell us we are beautiful.  He would say He wants a relationship with us.  He sees our struggles and He would remind us we are never alone.  He would say He can't wait to show us our permanent home, dwelling with Him forever.  

Our worlds would be rocked forever, because we've never come into contact with a love like His.  Love that changes a person.  Love that makes you run from a water well, leaving your jar behind, just to tell everyone else.  There would be no need for a business card, because an encounter like that could never be described in one word.

The woman at the well said it perfectly, in fact.  "He told me everything I ever did."  What more would there be to say?  He knocked her socks off, so much so that she didn't even try to describe Him.  She simply said He knew it all.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  And He loved me anyway.  

How can one not be forever changed by such an event?  

I returned home from our train trip, and I set the Friend card on my dresser.  I thought about the man, the dog, and the girlfriend with the purple hair. It was a random encounter that left an impression on all of us.  Perhaps I'll send him a few dog pictures every so often.  Maybe I'll send him a copy of Where The Red Fern Grows.  Who knows, maybe someday we will see him again on another train trip.  

But, I know this much.  

Random encounters are rarely random.