Mere coincidence or God's good gifts?

I was reflecting this past week and looking over blog posts and the devotional below is one I shared from a book I was reading years ago but a similar thing happened to me tonight so I thought I'd share.

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! —Psalm 136:1

Joel and Lauren decided to move from Washington State back home to Michigan. Wanting to make one last special memory, they bought coffee from their favorite cafe and then stopped at their favorite bookstore. There they picked up two bumper stickers with a favorite motto of the town they were saying goodbye to: “It’s an Edmonds kind of day.”

After 2 weeks and a 3,000-mile drive, they entered Michigan. Hungry and wanting to celebrate their arrival, they stopped and asked about where to find a restaurant. Although they had to backtrack a few miles, they found a quaint little cafe. Emma, their waitress, excited to learn they were from her home state of Washington, asked, “What city?” “Edmonds,” they replied. “That’s where I’m from!” she said. Wanting to share the joy, Joel got their extra bumper sticker from the car and handed it to her. Amazingly, the sticker was from her mother’s store! It had gone from her mom’s hands to theirs, across 3,000 miles, to her hands.

Mere coincidence? Or were these experiences good gifts orchestrated by a good God who loves to encourage His children? Proverbs tells us, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord” (20:24 NIV). In response, let’s “bless His name. For the Lord is good” (Ps. 100:4-5)."

Courtney again...so I was praying this evening. It's been a season of waiting and trusting God. I usually find that those seasons of waiting usually are ones that bring about tremendous growth if I allow God to stretch my faith in those times. Anyway, I was praying and realized it was 8 pm and I hadn't eaten dinner (super holy thought..haha). So I drove 25 minutes across town to my favorite place to get a bite to eat. As I turned down a road near the restaurant, I saw a beat up car just like my brother's. My brother's car is undergoing a paint job so it's stripped down now. 

I get to the restaurant and text my bro immediately "Where are you? I saw a car exactly like yours!" I figured there was no way it could be him because it was 30 min from where he lives and it was a random parking lot outside a hospital building. But sure enough, it was him. He had just finished up a training class for his new job. So we ended up getting to chat for an hour in the parking lot of the restaurant I was at and swap stories, one of our favorite things to do. 

So cool..of all the things that had to line up to get us there together at the same time:

• It was hours after dinner time but still I went out to eat, far away from my house but I really wanted that place to eat. 
• My brother had been in training for 5 hours and he had just finished up. 
• I noticed his car in the parking lot a few streets down as I was pulling into the restaurant. 
• He had training at that specific place, even though there were 4 other training locations he could have been at. 

Lord, thank You for Your little "God wink" tonight, smiling down on me and blessing me with an unexpected fun night with my brother. Of all the many things that had to line up just to get us there at the same time and place, it just reminds me that You can do all things. God, I know You are in control and You are good. I put my trust in Your hands for all the big and small things I'm waiting on, seeking You knowing that You are good and a rewarder of those who seek You. 

Thank you for your goodness and faithfulness to me. Amen.