Have you ever had one of those experiences when you say, “Wow, that had to be God!”??  I’m amazed at some recent events that I’ve termed “Divine Appointments.”  My pastor taught on this topic some time ago and defined divine appointments as those supernatural happenings where the Lord moves to bring people together.  He has encouraged us to pray and ask for them, and so recently, I started to ask! 

A few weeks ago, I had a passion for donating a couple of boxes of “Ella Mae the Courageous Cheerleader” books to Operations Christmas Child.  I couldn’t afford packing all the shoe boxes for the books, but had a burning desire to donate the books to go into packed boxes and out into the world.  I did some initial research and found a location on the West side of San Antonio that advertised they would take box packing supplies and gifts during national collection week.  I held out for them and drove during lunch break the first day to drop them off.  When I arrived, I was informed that they were only taking fully packed boxes.  Disappointed, I went back to my truck, said a prayer for help from the Lord, and used my phone for another search.  Within minutes I saw a link I had not found in my initial quest.  It was for a Chick-Fil-A just minutes from my house.  They were advertising a promotion for a children’s party to stuff Operation Christmas Child Boxes and were asking for gift donations to fill boxes.  I called and they were excited to receive my donation. 

My husband dropped off the boxes of books that night and the staff was very happy to receive them.  The next morning, I received an e-mail from the Marketing Director for the store. Not only were they thrilled to have the books to put in the OPC boxes…they were actually going to MEET WITH AN OPERAITONS CHRISTIAN CHILD REP!!!  Lo and BEHOLD, every book made it into a box.  The ones that didn’t get placed in a box at Chick-Fil-A went with the Operation Christmas Child representative back to location to add to other boxes.  I was amazed and floored.  Not only did the books make it into boxes, but they also made it straight to an OPC rep.  I tell you I couldn’t have planned it better if I tried.  You see, one of my initial prayers when writing “Ella Mae the Courageous Cheerleader” was for it to be translated into 50 languages around the world.  Yes, I asked for 50 languages.  I really believe that this step is accomplishing part of the goal right now.  I’m amazed at how God weaves all the details together perfectly. This was a divine appointment.

Another divine appointment I prayed for recently was for my attendance at Community Bible Church Market Days.  This was a very special event where CBC opened their doors to Christian vendors in the community who sold specialty Christmas items to the shoppers.  Twenty percent of all sales were donated to helping single mom’s with Christmas for their families this year.  We raised over $9K!  Before the event, I asked the Lord for divine appointments.  I asked that He would personally bring me in touch with people who needed the book and who would promote it and get it into the hands of children who could benefit from it. 

Guess what?  In the room right next to mine, there was a Cheerleading Clinic going on for school aged girls in an Upward Sports program!  They invited me to come over during lunch and read my book!  I met 50 of the most beautiful San Antonio cheerleaders and they enjoyed my book. I enjoyed them more!  They loved Ella Mae, my real hedgehog pet, who came for a visit.  It was such an amazing event and I was touched to be a part of their day. Now, if I hadn’t been in the exact location for my booth, I would never have known they were in that room.  THAT was a divine appointment. 

I also met an amazing mother whose daughter switched from volleyball to cheerleading recently and she is really worried about her daughter’s choice.  It was a great conversation and I was able to encourage her through my God-given testimony that no matter what hardship her daughter faces in life, God is bigger and can use it for good.  (Yes, even being bullied can be used for good when God gets involved.) 

I left that day with a huge smile in my heart knowing that God indeed honored that prayer request for divine appointments.  I encourage you to start asking God for divine appointments in your life and see what happens.  He will be faithful in bringing you what you ask for and you will be encouraged in your faith!  Get ready for great things, and share them with me.