When the Wrong Number is the Right Number

Something really blessed me today, I had to share with you. I apologize first to any of you are missing the the lack of more personal posts from me, I have just not been able to get them typed up in between videos and middle school woes!  This happy accident was too good not to make time for.

I was sitting in church today and was getting some really good nuggets of truth from our pastor Dr. Bowman.  Many people, myself included, look up the passage of scripture on our smartphones rather than the good "book" as we follow along (as he refers to his own iPad), so it's common to have phones out.  My teenager and younger son were in youth group and Sunday school that morning instead of the worship service so I decided to text a few takeaways to my own phone number to discuss with them later that I thought really speak to some things going on in my sons' peer groups right now  (Don't ask.  But you can pray, thanks in advance).  Well, as I went to put my phone away, imagine my surprise when one minute later it buzzed alerting me I had I received a reply. (From my own number? Huh?) saying, "Ain't that the truth." 

Well! I have to admit, my first thought was, "God??"  but after a few seconds of processing, fear crept in that I must have sent it to someone in my contact list by mistake (Ack!  Not that that would be wrong, but without a even a "hello" or "how are you?" to lead in, I get that the message could sound a *bit* condemning, just sayin'!). Sheepishly, I replied along the lines of, "Um...who is this?", and got a reply that it was a woman who lives in my same city, the number was just one digit off.  Oops! Our convo, numbers and names removed (and a tiny bit of small talk trying to figure out what happened in between), is below.  

Now, you wonder: who knows how either of these things spoke to her or were needed  or will be used this morning?  For her own son? A friend? For her, herself? You just never know. After our pastor finished his message, I followed him out to quickly tell what had happened before he made his way to our other campus to preach the 11 o'clock service, asking for 30 seconds of his time! After sharing, being the cool, "current" guy he is, I got a big smile, a high five, and a promise to share that story and a picture of me and (more importantly) the phone on Facebook (he is all about Facebook! You can also follow him on Twitter, as he reminds us every Sunday! ) 

I went back inside and just felt crazy good as we wrapped up the service worshipping with The Robin Wymer Band, and rejoicing about how God works.  I could have sent it to a fax machine, or the electric company, or someone in another state if  that one wrong digit was in the area code instead, you know? And most certainly nothing of my own doing, other than listening to the prompt of the Spirit to take that note, and God used it.  (I have since been informed I don't really need to text myself grocery lists and the like, as Jonathan says my phone has something called "Notes" ?  But you all know how I roll with technology. I think I'll continue with the texts...who knows who we'll* reach?

By the way, I also like how the person couldn't call it anything but "the truth"! Not just an "I know, right?!" or "Makes sense..." or "Food for thought", or "WTH?**".  His word never returns void.  Amen!  Have a blessed Sunday!  

Oh, one last thing! If you happen to be in the Austin area, you are welcome to attend our church's free screening at 5PM tonight of The War Room, popcorn included, at both campuses, here is the Quarries link!  (Of course, I also invited "Wrong Number")  Maybe I 'll see you? :)

* God and I 

**Heck