Conference yukon::christian_v7

    I like the phrase someone else used to describe what coincidence really
    is [and I believe it was used in here]  Godincidence.. :-)
    
    No there are no coincidences... at least none that I've known. :-)

    I believe there are coincidences, and that God intervenes in our lives.
    
    I believe that a man walking down the street and shot accidentally, is
    a coincidence.  God did not bring that evil into the world.  Certainly
    the baby killed in a car wreck is a coincidence and not God's hand in
    an evil way.
    
    Now, I was going to go to Long Beach City College and then Long Beach
    State College, because the basketball coach wanted me.  Two days later,
    the coach from Sacramento State knocked on my door and I went there. 
    About the same time, Gladys Toombs changed her intent to go to UC Santa
    Barbara and went to Sacramento State.  We were in the first freshman
    class at Sac State, and married at the end of our Sophomore year.  I
    believe that the wonderful 21years together, the two wonderful sons,
    and then my growth through her death was God's intervention.  There
    were too many scenarios for our going to different schools and we would
    never have met for it to be coincidence.
    
    I am convinced that God has given us choice.  When we exercise that
    choice and evil results, I do not believe that is God's intervention. 
     

 Someone once said "Coincidence is God's way of showing us He has 
 a sense of humor"...





Jim

    
    
    and I heard that "coincidences" are the miracles that God performs when
    He chooses to remain anonymous...

    I knew this didn't fit in the "Personal Revelations" topic (cause it's
    not *my* personal), but I would like to share a coincidence I witnessed
    and this seems to be as good a place as any...  :^)
    
    Some 15 years ago I was working for the State of New Hampshire in their
    Department of Public Works and Highways.  One of the architects in our
    office said he was going to be volunteering his labor for a church
    project over the weekend, and asked if any of us might want to go
    along.  I went.  
    
    A man named Chris Edmonds owned a nursery (trees & shrubs, etc.) in
    Concord, N.H. - and without warning sold off the property and all his
    equipment and bought a piece of land in New Durham, N.H. - although
    close to the lakes region, New Durham itself is a very rural, very poor
    town.  Chris built a cabin for himself and his family in the woods -
    maybe 5 miles in on a dirt road.  
    
    The weekend I showed up, Chris was putting the roof on the dining hall
    of what was to become Camp Maranatha.  We worked all morning putting
    tongue-and-groove boards across the roof framing, when Chris' wife
    called us down for soup and sandwiches.  
    
    Chris asked the blessing, then prayed "We think we know what we are
    doing here for you, Lord - but we're about out of money.  If you want
    us to finish this, you're going to have to show us how."  and we sat
    down to eat.  
    
    While we were eating, a large black car with out of state plates drove
    up, looking very out of place on that dirt road, and an elegantly
    dressed woman came over to Chris, said she had heard what he was doing,
    and gave him a check for $2000.  Chris thanked her, and she left.  
    
    When we were done eating, Chris called us together for another word of
    prayer, and he thanked the Lord for his direction - and we scampered
    back up onto the roof.  
    
    I have heard of many more of these in the years since, but I still
    choke up when I think of the time I was there...
    
    Praise the Lord!
    
    /John

    I think I woulda lost my appetite.
    
    :-)
    
    I love those stories....

 Quite a coincidence, eh? :-)





 Jim

    Without yet reading the replies to .0, I use the word Coincidence to
    *mean* an intervention by God.
    
    James

  Late last summer, a man with whom I had become friends shared with me a deep
  crisis in his life, one that endangered his family life, his job and his
  own life.  I offered him some help and advice, which he took.  I used to
  stop by where he worked part time and visit him, and suddenly one week he
  was no longer there..I didn't know his home phone and because of the situation
  above, I could not contact him at home..

  This morning I drove by where he used to work part time and thought of him,
  and he was heavy on my heart, and I was worried about/for him..this afteroon
  after church, I fought off the urge to eat at McD's and went to the grocery
  store..I walked in, rounded a corner and guess who I saw?



  Ronald McDonald! :-)


 Just kiddin' folks...I ran into this man I had been thinking of!  He's fine,
 his family is fine, his job is secure (though he did quit his part time job).
 It was so good to see him..he's wanting to leave his church and I think he may
 visit mine tonight (Sunday) or next week!


 Thank you Lord, for allowing me to run into him and know that he is well.





 Jim

    Doris, is a member of our prayer group; she is in her mid-fifties and
    petite. She was never married and has managed the family home since
    her parents died several years ago. She is not the type of person to
    ask anything for herself.
    
    With each snowstorm last winter she meticulously shoveled her long
    driveway and then even swept away the remaining snow. Near the end
    of winter, in one week, we had several heavy snows which really
    strained her. She had just completed the task of shoveling her
    driveway when the city plow came by and plowed a deep ridge of snow
    back into her driveway, blocking her in.
    
    Exhausted and crestfallen, she knew she could not do any more. Back
    inside, she paused before her favorite picture of Jesus and she offered
    up an informal conversational prayer. She told him that she had done
    her best with the driveway but she did not have an ounce of strength
    to handle what the plow had done. She said that Jesus would have to
    take care of it because she could do no more.
    
    Within minutes there was a knock at her door. The neighbor and his
    son were there and they asked her if they could shovel the snow for
    her!
    
    These men have lived there for years and never offered to help before
    nor did they offer to help in any of the remaining snow storms the
    rest of this winter.
    
    

 :-)

Thanks Mary,..  Brought tears to my eyes.  Which is most improper ;-)

							Andrew