Unexplainable...

I awoke this morning feeling inspired to blog, of course I wanted it to be a spiritually filled devotion to our Lord again today but I wasn't sure what exactly to write about. I was thinking I could use "freedom" as a nice subject to share my new found freedom in God's love or I could make good on that next book review I've been promising, before I knew it the morning slipped by with chore after chore consuming me. Then my husband walked in the door with the mail and I seen an unexpected package for me from a name I did not recognize, I was intrigued to say the least ~ so I dug right in shredding every inch of that cardboard envelope. What I found inside was totally incomprehensible to my dumbfounded mind. Wish granted: the answer for my inspiration to blog something profound was found inside my mailbox. A book(yay) that I didn't purchase titled "Wild at Heart" and it appeared to be spiritual in nature. My initial reaction was "oh great, I'm getting suckered into some book club chain thing-a-majig here without my consent! How on earth did 'they' find out I'm a reader now!" So I checked the return address again and still had no clue what-so-ever about the identity of this person. Her full name was written and her address was from Rice, MN. So I shuffled back through my dust covered file cabinets in the closet of my brain searching for a name of an old neighbor, or even Donny's extended relation ~ SOMEONE I KNEW? from Rice? Still no luck, I was truly puzzled. Then I found a letter addressed to me, so I'm certain this book didn't accidentally end up on my mailbox by some evil book publishing mail-order cult now cuz here's a personalized letter. I'm excited and intrigued to see what unfolds in the letter as to the identity of this woman (plus, I'm feeling guilty this lady sends me a book and a note and I can't for the life of me remember her! Nice, Maria)

So the letter begins:
Maria, it's been 2 1/2 years since I was supposed to give you this note and the book. Thankfully we have a God who by His grace gives us 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tries at doing His will.

And it goes on to quote scripture that was the foundational block of our mission trip and our team's commitment:
External religious worship that is pure and undefiled in the sight of our God the Father is this: to visit and help care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need. ~ James 1:27

I still was not recognizing who this lady is and how she's connected to me. A letter & book 2 1/2 years late? I didn't read 2 1/2 years ago! ha! YIKES, my memory seriously needs assistance here. She encourages me in this introduction letter to open the next envelope and she closes with saying she'll be praying for us while in Africa. HMMMM, I'm now wondering if this lady is a blog reader turned angel trying to help us poor saps along in preparation for this trip, but I'm still 'stuck' on that reference from 2 1/2 years ago. So I open the next letter and my eyes could not believe themselves as they soaked up every heartfelt, spiritual word of prophecy and encouragement for my life. Unexplainable....

Her hand written letter dated January 30, 2006 begins as such:
May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

Every letter, word and paragraph is this letter is divinely appointed and inspiring. As she shared scripture references that touched her heart in reference to me I became overwhelmed with emotion and as always GOOSEBUMPS beyond control. Everything she was sharing with me poured directly into my soul and I could hardly understand how to consume all of this.

Her second page went on to explain and reveal how we were connected:
I woke up this Monday morning knowing I had to write these things down for you. I believe in divine appointments, God puts people in our path at the perfect time. I want to share something with you.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is stirring in you. IT IS TIME!

God is asking you to step up and know Him more! Know His love, know His power, know His will for YOU and YOUR CHILDREN. You need to seek Him. Ask for revelation, ask for more faith, ask to hear Him, ask to see His hand at work all around you.

Yesterday when you came up during the healing prayer service asking softly for prayers, including safety for you son, I knew that heart cry was a prayer answer I held as I had just journaled 4 days prior this prayer:

"...I pray for safety and success and most of all a relationship with you for the benefit of my children."

I now remembered her VERY CLEARLY. January 2006: I was at a point in our infertility journey where I was beginning to recognize that we were indeed suffering from something bigger than "bad luck" and it was terrifying me beyond description to have to accept this reality. So at church when they offered time for prayers of healing, I, the lone soldier of lost sheep slowly and shyly inched up to the front to ask for prayers about God's healing touch on me and plan for our (hopefully)expanding family and I also asked for prayers for Zach because it was a time of great turmoil in his life. The lady who sent me this letter was the beautiful servant of God who took the time to pray with and for me that morning 2 1/2 years ago!

So I sat here weeping as I read these beautiful words written on January 30, 2006 and wondered how on earth as I was just beginning to accept my fate with infertility this lady saw in me at that moment something only God could have shown her...the beginning of the Holy Spirit's plan to engulf my life. It sent shivers down my spine to be sitting here at this point in my life July 4, 2008 and reading those impressively prophesied words for my future, which I'm glad I can now call the present!

I'm certain that she must have found her "2nd" chance to send me this inspiring letter as she joined in an impromptu prayer session for us last Sunday after the anointing service was finished those of us who were gathered as "volunteers", her included, began talking about our upcoming mission trip ~ then they asked if they could pray over us. When the prayers were finished she inquired about my name, when I told her she got this huge goofy grin on her face and said "okay, thanks...I'm Denise" and she trotted off on her way and so did we.

Seriously, unexplainable....