GOD-oincidences.

Emotions are complex. I used to view emotions as a few staple ones, ranging in intensity, or being combined in certain circumstances. But some emotions could never seem to be labeled, controlled, initiated, or stopped. And because I am not a rebellious teenage girl, or do not have emotional oddities, I cannot simply point the origin of the emotions to myself. But I do feel them, and I know many others do as well.

I have been on this earth for almost seventeen years. I feel as though I have learned a lot, and seen a lot in the time I have been living. Still to this day, I find myself stating the same remark. "Life is so random." This can either follow something exciting, tragic, or just plain odd. Nonetheless, I seem to say it often.

Is life truly random? Are things just thrown into the schemes of our lives for no specific purpose? Maybe, random events, or coincidences are in our lives to keep us entertained. Or, to keep us on our toes in the journey we call a lifetime.

This concept hit home for me on two nights ago. At Metro Calvary, I attend an exceptional women's Bible study. As we read and interpreted Ephesians 6, I was drawn to a woman who had an inspiring story to tell. After battling breast cancer she came to know the Lord in a different way, and in a different light. She heard the Holy Spirit so clearly it was difficult to not be obedient. What seemed to be a tragedy, became a milestone point of faith in her life. The diagnosis of cancer was not a coincidence. She must walk through the valley of the shadow of death to lay by the green pastures she now sees.

No wonder people speak of seeing the Lord when they are at their lowest of lows and deepest trials. Our lives are being molded and shaped by the Lord. It takes a wake-up call to loosen our outer shell to get to the interior. These coincidences, as they appear from an earthly perspective cannot be random. Coincidences in our lives are in fact GOD-oincidences.

Here is what I have learned. If you ask for a challenge; get fully prepared to receive one. If we prepare our

hearts to be open to the love and grace that the Father and Son provide, get ready to receive it. But also,

be prepared to see things that appear to be random on the surface. The Word puts it perfectly, as it

always does."The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."- Deuteronomy 29:29. There are many things we will never know, and never understand, but that is left up the Lord. We must know, that the Lord does not throw things into our lives, our dash, our earthly existence, for randomness sake.

These GOD-oincidences are irresistible. If you ever feel or experience one, the emotion is remarkable. The tugging of the Holy Spirit is present, and obedience is our choice. As we transform our mental vocabulary form "coincidence" to "God-oincidence", hope abounds. Trials may bring God, joy may bring God, but God's plan is not one of randomness.