What's next God?

               Last night I experienced one of those incidents when I felt that I followed God’s plan, with my action being guided by the Holy Spirit.  My action was affirmed by an email from a friend and I wanted to give the Holy Spirit a “high five”.

               Nearly five years ago, God swept me back to himself with two incidents that happened about 12 hours apart.  In the early weeks of my conversion, I came to realized that both events had to be the working of the Holy Spirit.  The first time I said to someone that it could have only been the work of the Holy Spirit, I almost whispered his name. (I thought, if I say this too loud and someone overhears the conversation, they will think I am crazy.)  I was still living in a world that included little of the supernatural. 

               Not so last night.

               A friend and I are conducting a six week adult education retreat using 33 Days to Morning Glory.  The program includes a book with daily readings, time for prayer and a weekly meeting to view a video and discuss our impressions for the week.  I was extremely delighted when a woman that I know emailed me and said she wanted to participate.  She couldn’t make the orientation so we scheduled a time when I could come over and give her the book.  She had been on my mental list of people who might benefit from the retreat.

               The evening of our appointment she cancelled and we agreed that we would find another time.  I included her on the email list of people who had signed up for the class.  The evening reading was to begin, I received an email saying that she was going through a lot; she couldn’t make the commitment, even though this was probably much needed. That message was the verification I needed to understand that this program was for her!

               I looked up her address and planned to drop it by her house in the midst of errands.  I had been to her house before, but only during the day.  As I drove toward her house on this dark and dreary evening, I realized that I left my phone, with the GPS, at home.  After about 10 minutes of driving to try to find her house, I stopped and pulled out the map book, only to discover that the four pages with the local maps were missing.

               Part of me wanted to give up and go home, but another part of me was so convinced that she needed the book, that I persevered.  After nearly 20 minutes of driving, in what seemed circles, I found her house.  It is not my nature to just drop in, even to friend’s homes, so I took a deep breath and climbed the stairs to her from porch.  Her husband answered the door and called for her. 

               “Did we plan to get together?” were the first words out of her mouth.  No, I said, but I got your email and just had to get this book to you.  I explained that the commitment was about 10 minutes of daily reading and some prayer for this retreat.  She said “thank you” and gave me a big hug.

               The next evening, I received an email message saying that she had read the introduction and was beginning the reading.  Her concluding words were “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  And as I turned off the computer and went to bed, my words to the Holy Spirit were, “thank you, thank you, thank you”.  My prayer, as I drifted off to sleep, my prayer was, “What’s next God?”