Have you had a day when everything sent wrong and then you met someone and knew God had arranged the meeting?

Wow! I was reading some of your answers and had to stop! Some of the things people said were terrible!!! And I agree with you that I feel sorry for those people who can't see God in this! I know you were an answer to her prayers today!!!

I had the same thing happen, but it wasn't until several years later that I learned what had happened because of my encounter. I dated a guy in college who was wonderful. Very caring, volunteered, I mean you couldn't ask for more...but he wasn't a Christian and it just wasn't working out for me. I wanted the guy I was going to be with to be a Christian. We had an arguement one day about God and we broke up because of it....then last year he passed away. I didn't find out until after he passed away that he was gone...and I was terrified. But at the funeral I learned that he had accepted Christ. I was the only person who had ever shared God with him...and then on his death bed he asked about God and became a Christian....so it is very sad, but I will get to see him again one day. Praise God!

I too feel very honored when God allows me to be apart of His wonderful plan! God is good!

Have a blessed day!!

Don't you just wonder about some people? It must be because these people have had a big dinner and not much blood is reaching the brain. What stupid, stupid answers! Whether or not they consider it a "divine encounter" or whether cancer was the topic or whatever tangent they got off on, it was a good thing that you were there. Some people have such crappy lives and really need, at the very least, a listening ear. And a good lesson in patience for you! Can you believe the person that said this woman was stupid enough to refuse all the help there is for her? Sheesh!

Yes, actually I have. One day I was feeling down, so I walked up to a bus stop to go to the library. My hearing isnt the best due to meningitis, and a girl at the bus stop, a few years younger than me, asked me if I knew what time the bus was supposed to come. I didn't quite understand her and told her "I'm sorry, I don't hear well can you repeat that?". I figured she would just brush me off like most others do when I tell them that. To my surprise, she started signing to me :D I learned sign language the first year after the meningitis, just because I thought I might benefit from it, even though I had an operation for a hearing device called a cochlear implant. It enables me to hear sound and percieve speach, thoug it need to have people repeat things sometimes.

Anyway, she kept talking to me until I got off the bus, and she was a very nice person. We exchanged phone numbers and it turned out she lived only a block away from me. So we became really good friends. I do believe God sent her to me, because I was feeling kinda lonely and friendless at the time. But that day, I felt like...wow I made a friend and she doesnt even care that I have hearing problems :D You'd be surprised how many people just turn away when I tell them "I don't hear well"....they automatically assume I can't hear ANYTHING at all. It was hard because I lost my hearing at 25....but I still talk exactly the way I did before, and I can hear most music. But she was the first REAL friend I made after my illness.

I had almost given up hope of ever having any friends again, but she made me believe that there are still people out there who don't judge a person by a certain disability.

G-d wants our evil inclination to diminish and the part of us that is made in G-d's image to rule our hearts. We are not robots like angels who just do G-d's will. Instead, we can do evil, and we can do good. That's because we 'ate' of the tree of knowledge mixed with both evil and good. G-d wants us to choose life, to choose good. Some don't and are still mixed with lots of evil like Hitler and the evil/good mix of people we interact with during the day. G-d wants us all to turn back to good and gives every opportunity to. Since evil still is in this world mixed with the good, then Stalin and Hitler can sometimes hurt even innocent people. Jews were chosen (wrote Scripture everyone else seems to want to use) that points humanity toward the G-d and the good. We will come out of exile eventually and everyone will know G-d and there will not be evil. This is when we 'grow up' so to speak. Everything bad that happens is not what G-d would want in the first place or in the best sense. But, one of the merciful provisions that G-d has made is that bad situations can also be turned for good to bring others through the suffering back to G-d. So, if i am suffering, i ask G-d to turn it to good and also for me to learn something. Psalm 18 was written by King David and talks about G-d rescuing him from the violent and evil. You may see comfort there. -Jewish perspective as well. Peace.

I always believe people's encounter works for good, and such is God's will.

For my part, so many and this space may not be enough to contain them, but my heart has infinite space to accept them to further strengthen my Faith to God, such that on times like the very blessed moments LeslieAnne encountered, I see no doubt God has shown His all knowing Eyes focus to share blessings...

Continue with your God's given courage to encourage more People in God's name, More Power, Johnny N.

Thanks for sending me this Q.

It happened when I quit smoking. I work and lived in the back of a small store, a few days after I quit I came from the back room with the thought of buying a pack of cigarettes. This man came in and put his finger over his trachea tube, "give a pack of cigarettes." He stands there and smokes one, how I wanted a cigarette. When he leaves my craving for a smoke had ended and to this day I have had only two puffs of a cigarette, 11 years. The man die later that year, not from cancer but a heart attack. I know God sent him there because I am not strong enough to quit on my own.

When I get down someone comes around who is in worse shape, even with my four stints a friend has a pacemaker.

Yes I know what you mean, don't you feel better. Pass it on.

That was most certainly a "God thing."

May God bless you both, as you become her friend.

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I have embarrassed myself over the anger issues that can culminate from my impatience. It occurs when I forget all about being of help to God, and get caught up in the day's frustrations.

It's strange to say, but I know it's happened to me, and more than once. Yet I can't recall a particular story at this moment.

But I can tell you that I get "real humble" when it happens.

SO GLAD YOU SHARED YOUR STORY.

THANK YOU!

Leslie,

This was not an accident. God needed you there when that woman was there because she needed to know that God loves her and God does show His love through us.

My friend, you did not just help this woman...You did it to God

as we see in Matthew 25 when we are told " was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in"

Another thing to consider is that God uses us to comfort others. I am sure you have been in hard places as we all have. 2 Corinthians 1 states in verse 3 and 4 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

One last thing to consider....angles.

Hebrews 13:2

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Leslie, thank you for letting people see Jesus in you!

Hi LeslieANN from your friend John!

First of all, I want to thank you so much for your friendship and support and for keeping in touch! I just replied to the message you sent me yesterday.

Anyway, your question is very interesting. Do you know if that woman you just encountered at the pharmacy is a Christian? Anyway, I can definitely empathize with her! Everybody in my small immediate family except my Dad has had cancer. My Mom died of it in 1997, my sister was battling it a year before my Mom passed away, and I just had a successful battle with skin cancer. When my Mom and sister were afflicted, I was bitter towards God for allowing the two people in my life I love and care about the most suffer from horrible bouts of cancer. That's when I first, but not the last time, I suffered spiritual warfare. However, I did not get upset with God when I was diagnosed with melanoma a week before last Christmas. I think the reasons why were that it was much worse having two of my loved ones battle cancer instead of me. Plus, my cancer wasn't nearly as serious as what my Mom and sister had. After all, I'm cured of mine! Ten years ago I questioned whether or not God chooses to heal, although I knew He had the power to. However, prayers for my battle with skin cancer were answered! I think God allowed this to finally bring me closer to Him! That's one reason, along with my excellent new church, that I've become a strong Christian again!

Anyway, you asked about meetings. The day before my surgery last monrth at Mayo Clinic(70 miles south of where I live), my Dad and I had lunch at our hotel. A very friendly and talkative lady sat next to us and started chatting. She said if it weren't for Mayo, she'd be dead. She moved to Rochester in the late 70s for the clinic's outstanding health care. I would have guessed she was in her mid or late 40s.(I'm 40). Anyhow, she said she's battled two strokes, myriad other health problems, and was currently on a waiting list for an intestine transplant.She said she's a strong Christian and has never lost faith in God. She said,"I have seen heaven and it's beautiful." When she said that, I was reminiscing about my hard times and thinking about what she was saying. I'd say God brought her to me for encouragement before I had my surgery the next day! I was so inspired by what she said! I think that encounter is another factor that brought me back to God! Anyway, life is good for me again! I tend to categorize problems into 3 main categories-spiritual, physical, and emotional. Unfortunately, I have suffered from crises in all of these categories.Fortunately, I recently battled those serious problems successfully in those 3 areas!

God Bless you LeslieANN! You have been a major blessing to me! Love,John

LeslieAnn, I'm so sorry that you have received so many negative responses. You and this testimony are my "Divine Encounter" today! Just as I was beginning to think that no one was living like Jesus by giving hope and encouragement to others, He sent me your testimony! Thank you for being there for this woman and thank you for being there for me! You have encouraged MY faith! God loves you and so do I!