I Don't Believe in Coincidences

In the dictionary, a coincidence is defined as "a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection." Rather, I find myself acutely aware of particular moments in my life that have prepared me for certain situations in the present. By playing an ultimate game of connect the dots, I find myself unraveling bits of God's plan for my life, slowly understanding  how I've ended up where I am in my life and that there's a purpose in all situations, big and small. I think Christine Caine said it perfectly when she stated, "At the beginning of our race, we seldom grasp God's grand plan and how interwoven, far-reaching, and transformational it is."
For those who aren't aware, I'm currently in St John participating in a work exchange program at an eco-resort. Personally, I was using this month as a way of starting fresh. A new environment among new people, with a new Bible to highlight seemed like just what I needed after my last of seven summers at a campground along the Delaware River. I didn't know a whole lot about what I was getting into, but I fully believed there was a reason for it because of how I even found out about it. If it wasn't for Hurricane Sandy exactly two years ago, I probably would have never volunteered with Samaritan's Purse, thus never meeting a couple from North Carolina who would become like a second set of parents to me, who would have never told me the story about how they participated in this same work exchange program. Also, if it wasn't Samaritan's Purse and decisions I made in the past year of my life, I may have been ill-prepared for questions I didn't know I was going to encounter on this adventure to the Caribbean.
Last November, after much hemming and hawing and muddling over it in my mind, I decided to get baptized at my local church. A part of the process involved typing out my personal testimony (which can be found here) for it to be read in front of the entire congregation before I got baptized. Also, what I've discovered through my work with SP is that other Christians are interested in my personal testimony of how I came to be a Christian, so I have a bit of experience sharing it with others. Little did I know how these instances would prepare me for my trip to St John.
When I came to St John, I hoped to get myself into a daily routine of reading my Bible because I slacked all summer and almost found myself avoiding it. To combat this, I set my alarm an hour before I was to start working everyday in order to give myself time to read a chapter of Proverbs every morning. I also didn't come down here with any grand plans for evangelism. I knew I'd share about how I was a Christian and volunteering with SP, but I had no plans otherwise. What I didn't count on was appearing to be an enigma to another volunteer.
A few nights after Hurricane Gonzalo thankfully bypassed the island, I found myself over at one girl's ecotent to enjoy dinner and some rum and cokes. We casually chatted and listened to music, discussing what bands we've seen in concert, and which artists came across as particularly narcissistic while performing. Then at some point, almost out of the blue she turned to me and asked, "So how did you end up being a Christian? Because everyone I know who is is either a recovering drug addict or alcoholic, and unless you're hiding something, you don't seem like either." I'll admit I was a little caught off guard since I can't remember the last time a non-Christian asked me for my testimony. It took me a few seconds to gather my thoughts, but I soon found myself, with the help of the Holy Spirit, walking her through my entire testimony, along with going off on tangents about sin, homosexuality, how we can't force other people to believe in Jesus, and how only God can change people's hearts. I finally understood why 1 Peter 3:15 states, "But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." Thankfully, God spent the last year of my life preparing me exactly for that moment. Oddly (and I use that term loosely) enough, there was a fellow on the beach today who I ended up sharing my testimony with, and not only that, he asked me to say a prayer. Again, God had me in the right place at the right time prepared precisely for the circumstances of that moment.
One other instance of what the world would call a coincidence and I refer to as a God moment occurred the other night in Cruz Bay. It was a typical night of wandering shops and hanging out at various bars, but as we were walking back to the car, I started feeling remarkably lonely and homesick. I sensed that this was a spiritual attack, since I'm prone to bouts of depression, so I prayed to be clothed in the armor of God and thought of Ephesians 6:11-12, which states, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." As we got in the car and pulled out of the parking lot, the radio was playing faintly. I could've sworn I knew the song, but just couldn't place it. Mind you the majority of the songs on the radio are either reggae or new pop songs that I haven't heard yet. As I strained to hear the words, it suddenly occurred to me that it was the tail end of "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United. It was the very song that had popped into my head after I read my acceptance email from the eco-resort (story found here). God was using the very song that had encouraged me back in May to comfort me in October. It brought relief to my heart and a smile to my face because I'd called out to God and had immediately received a response. It was His reminder that He is always with me, so I have no need to feel lonely. The ending of my night was just like the closing lyrics of the song. "I will call upon Your name. Keep my eyes above the waves. My soul will rest in Your embrace. For I am Yours and You are mine."

Life Lessons

I've had a lot of time to think today, and there are two ideas that struck me today. Two near perfect metaphors for life and how it should be lived. Each idea came when I was doing mundane and relaxing tasks, which served as a reminder that sometimes the best thing to do is take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. Too much time is spent trying to either dress to impress or prove our worth by making a name for ourselves in this world. No longer are we satisfied with everyday life; we crave to be immersed in party or cut throat atmospheres. Except that never gets us anywhere, and we miss out on life lessons that God wants to teach us. We're just too darn busy trying to be awesome during our short stay on Earth, that we never truly kick back and listen to guidance from our Creator.
Today was my first official day of work during my stay at Concordia Eco-Resort. I was assigned to housekeeping as a way of easing me into things. Given the heat and humidity, it typically takes volunteers a few days to adjust to the climate, so the volunteer manager makes sure not to overexert the newbies. Part of my job in housekeeping was to find stained towels and linens, spray them with peroxy, and try to scrub them out. This didn't sound too difficult until I actually attempted it. For the life of me, I just couldn't get some of the stubborn set-in stains to come out, and then it hit me. Too often, we are too stubborn to admit our sins in life and they become like these set-in stains. They're impossible to blot out or scrub away on our own. It is only when we are forthcoming with God about our sin that He can bless us with a clean slate and forgiveness. This is demonstrated in Isaiah 1:18, which states, "Come now let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Only God can cleanse us from our misguided ventures here in this life. We will remain crimson until that moment we trust Jesus to be our Savior and then we become clothed in his righteousness in God's eyes, no longer covered in stubborn set-in stains from sin.
Another revelation that came to me today was that life is like doing the backstroke. Though I was being propelled forward through the water, I couldn't actually see where I was going, forcing me to rely on other senses in order to not run into the wall. On top of that, when doing the backstroke, the only place to look is up towards the heavens. Putting it all together in my mind, I realized that this was exactly how I needed to live my life: constantly looking up to God for guidance and trusting Him to move me forward in life, even if I can't see where I'm going. God created us to be complex beings, but too often, we're too focused on the future and the unknown that we neglect to use all of our senses and, which would help us completely enjoy the journey. It's time to start relinquishing control and asking God for guidance, who spoke us into being in the first place. We must finally take to heart and live out the words written in Proverbs 2:1-8 ~ "...if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding, yes if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints." God will provide all that we need, if only we just ask and seek His insight for our lives, and we cant do that without first looking up.