Grace Calling

by Fran Sandin

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”   I Peter 3: 15 NIV

It all began when my husband, Jim, and I stopped for lunch in a small-town. Before entering the building, I excused myself to the ladies’ room. There was no appropriate area to set my purse as I washed up, so I placed it in the clean sink. Since it was raining when we arrived, I thought nothing of a few drops of water on the purse when I left the bathroom. Once we were seated, I reached into the purse for my phone.

That’s when I discovered the inside of my purse was soaked. It didn’t occur to me until that moment that the sink had an automatic faucet. Evidently the faucet mistook my purse for hands. Soooo—you guessed it. The phone was wet and dead.

We visited an AT&T store where a handsome young man, Jose, waited on us. He and another worker checked the phone and confirmed, “It is dead.”

I turned to Jim and apologized, “I am so sorry about this. Please forgive me.” He responded with such grace. “It was an accident! You need a phone, so let’s buy one now for your birthday.”

Thankfully, I answered a few questions; and while icloud loaded information from my old phone into a new one, we visited with Jose.

He told us he was a first-year college student working toward a business degree. During our conversation, Jim shared a tract written by our son, Steve, two months before he moved to Heaven. “So What Happens Next?”

Jose repeated the title, and said, “I’ve always wondered about that. May I read it now?” We were quiet while he read most of it. Then he asked, “What advice would you give a young man my age?” It was a wonderful opportunity to share verses like—”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV).

Jim shared his own testimony and I asked Jose, “Do you have a Bible?” Jose was delighted when Jim helped him download a Bible app on his phone. We left the store feeling we had just experienced a divine appointment. I asked Jose to give us his name, so I could pray for him. He also included his telephone number. So, a few days later, I followed up with a text to thank him for helping us and added, “I hope you have trusted Jesus as your Savior.” He wrote back “I sure did,” and expressed gratitude for our time together.

I am overwhelmed by grace—the forgiving grace of my husband, God’s grace in providing our salvation, the opportunity to share good news, Jose’s prepared heart; and the joy of Jose’s accepting God’s grace toward him as he received Jesus Christ. To God be the glory!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace that is greater than our sin. Help us to always be ready to share that good news with others. In Jesus’ name, A-men.

About the author: Fran Caffey Sandin is a retired nurse, wife, mother, and grandmother in Greenville, Texas. She enjoys baking, flower arranging, hiking, and traveling with her husband, Jim. Fran is a church organist, a core group leader for Community Bible Study, and author of See You Later, Jeffrey, and Touching the Clouds: True Stories to Strengthen Your Faith. and has co-authored others. Jim and Fran are parents of two sons awaiting them in Heaven; a married daughter and son-in-law, and three fabulous grandchildren. Visit Fran at her website:  www.fransandin.com.

Join the conversation: Have you ever experienced a divine appointment?

 

Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash