Blessings

I love those unexpected “wow” moments that God occasionally brings me. I had an awesome moment like that last night; actually, the entire evening was awesome. After attending a technology workshop all day, I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. It was a great day of learning, but seven hours of computer workshops is enough to give anyone a headache.

After getting home, I began clearing a pile of papers off the kitchen table and discovered the ad I had torn from a newspaper announcing the Steven Curtis Chapman concert (“A Night of Music and Hope with the Chapmans”) which was…in two hours.

I hadn’t bought a ticket and had no one to go with, but I really wanted to support the Chapmans after praying for their family during the last two years (and I love Steven’s music), so I decided to just go and see if there were any tickets left.

When I arrived, there was a long line and the person I asked thought the line was for buying and picking up tickets, so I went to the end and waited. When I was near the front, I found that there was a different line for purchasing tickets, so I moved to that line. It was much shorter, but there were still four or five people in front of me when I happened to turn around and saw someone asking people behind me if they were buying a single ticket. They weren’t but I caught the lady’s eye and said I was. I thought she had an extra ticket and I could buy it – it had to be a better seat than what I would get at the ticket counter.

Well, she did have an extra ticket, but she handed it to me and said “It’s free. Come and sit with my sister and me.” I couldn’t believe it; she was giving me a ticket! Their seats turned out to be way better than any I could have purchased at the ticket counter – right near the front; in fact, we ended up in the front row! I’m so glad I first waited in the long line or I would have already purchased my ticket before they arrived. Wow – what an unexpected blessing. Thank you God.

I thought I would be sitting by myself in the balcony, but God’s plan was so much better. I met two wonderful women, Jill and Wendy, and enjoyed getting to know them. In fact, Jill used to live in the same Grand Rapids neighborhood that I had grown up in. They were so much fun to be with that I felt kind of like their extra sister. They had purchased an additional ticket for a friend who couldn’t attend the concert and then prayed that God would show them who to give the ticket to. Wow – God chose me to be the recipient of their gift. Thank you God.

The evening was filled with wonderful music by Steven and also by his sons’ band (Caleb), as well as testimony by Steven’s wife, Mary Beth Chapman, about how God has been working in their family’s life, particularly during the past two years since the accidental death of their five-year-old daughter, Maria Sue. The evening ended in worship to God, who is always with us: in our mountains and in our deep valleys.

The Chapmans and their friend, Jeff Moore, also shared how their foundation, Show Hope, which provides orphan care in China and assistance to families adopting children throughout the world, has grown. They shared pictures of “Maria’s Big House of Hope,” a care facility in China for special-needs orphans and challenged those in the audience to respond to Christ’s call to help care for the orphans. Although I already sponsor a child through Compassion International, God was working in my heart and I signed up to sponsor the Show Hope foundation as well. I had not intended to do this when I arrived at the concert, and honestly, I’m not sure I would have if I had purchased my concert ticket. But God’s plans are so much better than mine, and I’m glad I will be able to help out every month. Wow - I was blessed in order to bless others. Thank you God.

I came back home filled with gratitude and blessed by God – through the gifts of Jill and Wendy, the Chapman family, and the presence of God in my life. So much better than a quiet night at home. Thank you God.