God’s hand at work in Seattle

I'm working with my team at Epic Life Church here in North Seattle. This week is our biggest week of the summer concerning the church because we're working an event called Celebrate North Seattle. This event has grown to over 2,500 attendees in past few years and it celebrates the achievements and businesses around the community. This is our major outreach event of the year. There have been countless hours worked over the last six months by the staff at Epic Life and we've been able to join in the process. Because this event is happening this Sunday, we're doing any and all last minute preparation in order to be ready.

On Wednesday, we finished things up at the church and got back to our place at 9 p.m. Everyone was tired, and all I really wanted was a bowl of ice cream. I was talking to my team and a couple of the other residents, and it didn't sound likely that they wanted the same thing. 

I laid down and thought through the day's events. I became pretty tired and even frustrated that I still had many things to do. Before falling asleep, I just felt a tug at my heart to just go to Full Tilt Ice Cream Shop by myself, so I headed down that way. 

At the second major intersection, called the Avenue (because it's near the University of Washington), I noticed from the corner of my eye a boba tea place. I had never tried it but heard great things. When I walked in, the cashier noticed my Hillsong United shirt and we instantly hit it off. It turned out he was Christian and was heading off to a small counseling trip with junior high students to California soon. He even asked me for prayer requests. It's rare to find a Christian in Seattle. 

I left there, and kept walking down the Avenue. At the end of the end of the block, I stumbled upon an ice cream place. I did not even know this place existed. I went in and they were playing some of my favorite artists. I shared with the staff why I was here and they helped me figure out what ice cream I wanted. It was a really cool experience and I am definitely going back.

I left there and crossed the street and headed back up the Avenue, and out of nowhere I bumped into somebody that I went to high school with. I had not seen this guy in four years and we were both from Marble Falls - aka, small town Texas. 

We randomly bumped into each other on a street in Seattle at night. How does that happen? Because the God I serve is alive and He has a plan. He knew what I needed and what He had for me because He is good! It turned out the friend from high school is doing a summer internship at Amazon.com. I am going to message him soon and try to meet up for coffee or lunch. 

The main focus of this story is to show you God is so real, listens and hears the cries and desires of your heart. You just have to listen back to him when the Spirit is speaking or beckoning. Though these are just small blessings, these three experiences did not just randomly or coincidently combine on the same night without God's hand at work. 

Seek HIM! Proverbs 3:5-6 

Calvin McDaniel is serving as a Go Now missionary in Seattle, Washington.