I love it when God unexpectantly opens the doorway for us to speak His truth.  These moments often come out of nowhere and are usually inconvenient to us; however, the more I experience them the more I look for them…and crave them.  I had one this morning.

I am in a medical research study.  No, it is not a study to find out why I am so strange!  It is actually a diabetic monitoring research study.  Yes, I am diabetic.  If you didn’t know that already it is probably because I don’t make a big deal about it.  I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t, either.    I maintain with some oral medication and diet/exercise.  I’m fine!

Anyway, I signed up for this year-long study for three reasons: 1) Accountability for monitoring my sugar.  I am terrible at that. 2) They PAY me to monitor my sugar daily!  Can’t beat that.  and 3) Everything I do, I try to see how I can expand my circle of influence.

So, I go in this morning for a quick check-up which should last about 20 minutes.  I was there an hour and a half!  But let me tell you what happened.  I have the same girl, we’ll call her G, work with me each time.  This was only my third visit and so I have not had an opportunity to really talk to her (they are always rushed and busy).  Today they were doing a new test on me that takes 5 minutes.  Aha!  Time to talk.

I ask her how long she has been married (I see the ring, can’t miss it!).  She kind of does a little bit of a grunt and says a little over a year.  Taking the cue, I ask how things are going.  She says, “Isn’t the first year always the toughest?”  I’m thinking, “Not really,” but I say, “what has been the toughest thing?”  She opens up about how she and her husband were both 27 when they got married so they were both independent.  There have been a lot of adjustments to make now that everything is shared.  Plus, she says, “I’m sorry but men are tough to live with.”  Point made and taken.  Avoiding controversy I simply agree with her.  Then she starts in on her co-dependent mother-in-law who “let go” of her only boy.  Now we are really getting to it.  Last year  G opened up her home to her mother-in-law at Christmas and got nothing but grief the whole time she was there.  Well, G wasn’t doing that again.  So, I encouraged her to put into practice Romans 12:18 and see what can happen.  As I quoted the Scripture she was really taking it all in.

Guess what?  The test did not take.  So, G brings in another lady, let’s call her H, because she has more experience with this type of machine.  It turns out that H starts to open up as I talk to her about her plans for Christmas.  She is separated from her husband and her 15 year old daughter chose to live with Daddy (money holder).  In addition, she naively signed an agreement that gave full custody to the father.  She doesn’t even know if she will see her daughter  much over Christmas.  She was obviously grieved and heartbroken.  However, she is a believer!  I was able to go farther in discussion with her because we had to do the test 4 more times!  Yes, a total of 6 total pricks today!  Anyway, she goes to the church where I grew up.  She sits under the preaching of one of my friends who I grew up with.  I was able to encourage her not with just verse 18 of Romans 12, but all of verses 9-21.  It all applied to her situation.  A situation that could easily lead to bitterness and backlash, but is also an awesome opportunity to exhibit the grace of God.  Of course, I prayed for her.

I call these “divine appointments.”  God knew exactly what He was doing.  He knew those tests weren’t going to work right and that the situation was going to provide me just enough time to shine the light where it needed to go.  My hopes of this being a quick appointment were “shattered.”  My Hope of engaging my circle of influence was built up!  My fingers are sore.  My faith is soaring!  This is what it is about.  I didn’t have anyone falling on their knees in confession and repentance but I could see the Word of God taking root in the hearts of others.  Oh, by the way, it was just a few weeks ago that I felt the Lord leading me to meditate on Romans 12:9-21.  Why?  I have been able to use that Scripture so much in the past few weeks it is unreal.

Praise God for divine appointments!  I want another one!!