Unexplainable Apart From God. Part I

Abraham was a faithful man, going when he didn’t know the destination, listening to the voice of God. He was being obedient.

I’m not claiming to be like Abraham, after all his mode of transportation was a grass chewing, super spitting camel.  Mine is a gas guzzling stalling and spitting Ford.  Oh yeah, and he actually heard the voice of God!  You know, the real deal.

That aside, God still speaks today, and for the past 3 years, he’s been talking to me. Not in the same way he spoke to Abraham, but still as clear as day!  At this point I’m still not sure why,  but neither was Abraham.  In fact, he never did see the fulfillment of God’s promises in his lifetime.   Still his life had perhaps the most far reaching effect on the whole human race.

It wasn’t all about Abraham’s self significance, it was about the journey. The journey built his relationship with God, and these past 3 years my journey has built my faith relationship with God too. However, the journey is about much more than us, it’s about God and His purposes.

My journey began as I said almost 3 years ago. I was leading a Bible study, called ” Unexplainable: Pursuing A Life Only God Can Make Possible “, by Don Cousins. In essence unexplainable apart from God.

My wife Michal and I were talking about how everything in our lives was completely explainable. We’d both had good, normal careers (cop, teacher), were in our second marriage, and had a very standard daily routine. Nothing exciting, nothing out of the completely explainable realm.

Where in our lives was God’s handiwork shining…. the unexplainable!

Michal was at the time struggling in a difficult work environment. She was actually becoming ill as a result! She took a medical leave of absence, and the very thought of going back riddled her with anxiety. She needed a change, but we needed her to work, so we believed. It’s hard to give up $40,000 a year. Plus I was set to retire in 3 years.

Then it began. She made some cupcakes, to save her sanity, and a friend had one, which led her to request some for a party. Then others who were at the party ordered cupcakes. So Michal and I started looking at locations to open a business in town.

I was basically checking out sites just to appease Michal, we couldn’t afford to give up her job, let alone start a business ! Oh and not just any business but one that sold cupcakes, in a small town, in an economically depressed County.

We found a storefront that we loved, in early September, but reason and clear thinking took hold. We told the realtor we liked the storefront but at this time we weren’t ready. Thank God!

We did add, that we would appreciate a phone call if someone else became interested, so we could revisit this crazy idea.

I talked about selling her cupcakes at the farmers market on Wednesday, maybe she could make some money doing that? Well, orders kept coming over Facebook, enough that my house was becoming covered with flour residue. So were my uniforms! Before November we were pretty much booked up for Thanksgiving!

I was telling Michal she can take orders and go back to teaching next year….. But God had another idea.

The first week of November I had training at the State Police Academy. All the guys at my station had been continually telling me, “Your wife is quitting teaching to do what?!?! How you gonna make money doing that?” I agreed on the inside , but on the outside I supported my wife’s decision. And I prayed and prayed that somehow this would work out.

Before training Tuesday morning, of that week, I read a paragraph in my Bible study….

(people will ask) “How did you get here, doing what you are doing? ” The explanation will be,” God led me here. ” And if they do their work as unto the Lord, their efforts and the results achieved, will prove to be unexplainable apart from Him.

Michal called me just before my class began for the day , crying and upset. The school district was questioning her sick leave since she was starting a business. They wanted her to come in and meet with them and their attorney. I told her not to talk to anybody until I got home.

Five minutes later, I received another phone call. Two months after we had asked him to, the realtor called. Did we want the place?

What was happening?

Coincidence or Providence? Its moments like this that we have to decide what do I believe in? Does God still talk to those who believe in him? Does He answer prayer? Does He?

That day in November changed the direction of our lives! For the first time in perhaps all my life, I truly believed God was speaking to….. me!

I told the realtor we would take the storefront. I called Michal and told her it was time to resign! I explained my morning revelations. We were moving forward in faith.

I didn’t have all the answers, but neither did Abraham. However, I knew God was directing us in a new direction!

A journey to a promised land.

Thought to ponder as you journey today: do you believe in Providence or is coincidence all there is? It’s comforting to know that our God cares enough to talk to us when we genuinely seek His counsel.

Do you believe it?