A coincidence, according to dictionary definitions, is “a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.”
However, few know that “coincidence” is actually translated from the Greek word, synkyrian – A combination of the words “sun”, meaning “together with,” and “kurious,” meaning “supreme in authority.” Therefore, our Biblical definition of this word would be “what occurs together by God’s providential arrangement of circumstances.” Hence, there are no coincidences as we humans see them, just divine intervention.
Over the past few months, God has made this very clear in my life, and this message is one of the main reasons I am on my way to #11n11.
Lately I have really been struggling with what God wants me to do after graduation. I have known since I was in middle school that God has blessed me with the gift of communication. I love people. I like being around people, I like talking to people. My major in college is quite literally Mass Communication.
So, at the beginning of my Fall 2017 semester I started praying and asking God what I should be doing with my life. On January 14th, 2018 I received an answer. I was called to ministry.
Back in October I started praying daily that in 2018 God would bless me with overwhelming amounts of opportunity. I want this year to be the year that I truly step out and seek him to my absolute fullest. That I won’t be afraid to be bold in His name with everything I do. Roughly two weeks after I started to pray this prayer, “The World Race” popped up on my Instagram feed. I didn’t think much of it because I was like “I don’t think leaving my family for an 11-month mission trip is something God would call me to do, especially because my brother is graduating and my sister will be soon, that’s crazy.” So, I went on with life but kept praying that same thing. Lord use me next year. Give me opportunities to witness about You. Then, in November of 2017, I was asked to go on a mission trip to Malawi Africa. I immediately accepted, thinking this was the big opportunity I had been praying for.
Fast forward to January. The very first sermon our pastor preached in the new year was about Chasing Chariots and how we need to go after people that we know need to hear the word of God. We talked about how if you just submit yourself to God, he will bless you with the resources you need to do this. I felt like pastor Jeff was speaking right to me. So, I kept praying, God tell me loud and clear what it is I am supposed to be doing, because I have this heavy feeling on my heart that you are preparing me for something so huge I won’t be able to handle it without you.
In early January I helped lead DNow Weekend at FBC Texarkana, and the pastor preached about preparing yourself for the great things God has for you. That you should EXPECT God to do great things for your life, but at the same time, YOU have to PREPARE for these things to happen. So, I was sitting there like, God, what the heck are you telling me? I know you have something in store, but what is it? So, I decided that my word of the year would be “Prepare.”
Here comes the boom moment. Before Sunday School, this girl came up to me looking for the college ministry class, because they weren’t in their typical room. It was her first week to visit our church’s college ministry. She is living with her aunt this semester in Texarkana because nursing school doesn’t start until August. We got to talking, and it turned out that she had just returned to the States from being on the World Race! GOD. MOMENT.
It gets better. In “big church” the sermon just happened to highlight on coincidences. The man preaching emphasized that nothing in life is a coincidence, everything that happens is God interceding for a purpose, and when He talks, you act on it. Then and there, I knew that I was being called to some type of ministry. I know that God is currently calling me to be on the mission field after graduation.
Yes, it was a big decision to make. Yes, I will have to leave behind family, friends, and familiarity. However, when God gives this many signs, you ACT. Otherwise, you may miss out on a marvelous opportunity He created solely for you.
