Prayer and God's Perfect Timing

I've been meaning to write about fall outreach for almost a week now, and I probably will spend some of my time this weekend doing that. But I just couldn't pass up the beautiful opportunity to share how God has answered prayers. First, the back story.

Last spring, we made an effort to be more intentional about sitting with new people at Sunday Mass on-campus. So, one day, probably in mid-April, I sat by a student I had never met. We chatted a little before Mass, but I didn't have a chance to get her number to follow up. Nevertheless, I put her name on a list of students I had met to continue to pray for her. I saw her another time at the coffee shop on campus last spring, but again didn't get any contact information.

Well, throughout the summer, this girl's name was on my list of students to pray for and so I did. I never was super intentional about it, just occasionally asking that God would place her in my path this year if it should be His will. Little did I know how perfectly He can time things.

Last night, I planned to play some ultimate frisbee after Mass as a way to spend time with two girls I met last week. However, they texted me last minute saying that they wouldn't be coming. So, I decided to walk back to the Newman house and go home to prepare for tonight's first athletes' study. As I approached the house, there was this girl from Mass the previous semester! She was standing in the road looking lost. I said hi and was happy to see that she recognized me. It turns out she had been looking for the local temple to go to a speaker, but couldn't find it.

I invited her to tomorrow's Mass and Meal at Newman and she was shocked when I asked for her number. "I never get invited to things" she replied, while also eagerly entering my number into her phone. My heart instantly was moved for this daughter of God. I showed her around our small Newman house, including inviting her to stop by anytime to hang out or spend time praying in the Chapel. I'm hoping and praying that she is able to come tomorrow so that I can introduce her to some more Newman ladies and help her find a community of Catholics to support her in her faith.

As I drove home last night, I just was in awe of how God answered my summer prayers for this young lady. He had to time her search of that event just right with my leaving the field. He had to prevent those other girls from coming so that I would decide not to play. Had He not, I wouldn't have had a way to invite her into the Newman community.

Lesson? Never doubt God's desire to answer our prayers and His power over our timing of encounters with others. His plan is very well thought out.