An Opportunity

Last week during a layover at DFW we ran into a friend from church who was on our same flight back to Tulsa. We had a delay, so we sat next to her and chatted while we waited. They were trying to find us another plane as something was wrong with the one we were going to be on. And you know, that's always a comforting thing to hear. 

After a while of sitting, out of the blue, the older man next to my friend began to ask her some questions. He wanted to know what she does for a living back in Tulsa, and she kindly responded that she's a wife and stay at home mom who homeschools her children. That seemed to open up a barrage of questions for this man and he went on to tell her how much he admires and respects what she's doing, and the great impact that will have on our society. 

He's an orthopedic surgeon in the area, but seemed to esteem what she's doing every bit as much as his own profession. He was absolutely intrigued by her life and seemed to have never spoken with a homeschool mom - he wanted to know everything about it! She explained in detail and told him this was the call God has on her life. She made quite the impression on this gentleman. 

His wife, the office manager at his practice, sat quietly beside them playing solitaire, and there I sat on the other side listening to their conversation, trying to decipher if he was a believer or not. It wasn't long after that, she moved over to that topic as they began to discuss what they think being a true believer really is. He had a lot of philosophies about some people being innately good - and that resulting in true belief, and though I was only getting bits and pieces of the conversation, I felt he was searching for answers. She gently challenged his thoughts with the Word, and such grace. I could see the desperation in her face for this man to know our Lord, our Savior.  No philosophies, no maybes...to KNOW. 

After an hour had passed, a woman came over the speaker and said we weren't getting a new plane after all - ours had been fixed. The man grabbed his cane and began to stand up - but first leaned in closer and told my friend to come to his office whenever she wanted and he and his wife would take her to lunch. She jotted down the address of our church (which happens to be TWO blocks away from his office!) and invited them there as they exchanged names. 

As the older couple got up to leave and I said to her, "Wow! You made quite the impression on that guy!" She smiled and her eyes glistened, "This morning I prayed for an opportunity. God is faithful."

Blown. Away.  

Tears welled up in my eyes as we discussed in short their conversation as we boarded the plane, and she asked Darin and I to pray for him. I have every day since. What I thought was an annoying delay for our flight wasn't that at all. It was a divine appointment. Her opportunity.

Pray for an opportunity.