Earlier this year our family was inching its way back into a place of being connected and active in a local expression of "church"...Brenda and I were seated at a table along with Don Reynolds, the Worship Arts Director at Granger Community Church in Elkhart for a class we were all involved with. Don and I knew each other but only casually. So after the class we sat and started doing the "where do you live"? "what did you do before GCC"? etc...questions. Turns out that his father founded Master Craft in Shipshewana, Indiana and Don had worked there prior to coming on staff at GCC. I too had worked in Shipshipshewana for a number of years. As I asked more questions we realized that we had both been employed in the same small town during the same time period.
As we talked I asked if he remembered an accident that occurred on State Road 5 directly in front of the Master Craft offices in October of 2001. (Click here for more details.) He responded that yes, he did in fact remember that incident. I replied that I was the person in that head-on car collision in the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 12th. For a second, we let that settle in and then with astonishment he said "I prayed for that man and it was you"?! As we embraced and wept, I was filled with deep gratitude for all my friends known and unknown who had prayed diligently for me and for my family during this deeply difficult crisis.
From that day forward Don and I became fast friends. Now, ironically, we work together on staff at GCC. My day, October 12th was celebrated again this past week and once more I'm reminded that UPON FURTHER REVIEW the experiences of a life given to Jesus for his purposes are simply crazy good! Even when they hurt. Hurt so much it takes our breath away. UPON FURTHER REVIEW we catch a glimpse of the greater purpose. Who but God could have seen our two life paths somehow crossing when we least expected it.
I'm grateful for life, I'm grateful for family and friends to do life with and I'm grateful that there will be more times that UPON FURTHER REVIEW we may all see the greater purpose of God in our lives.
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