From Pastor John's wife, Kay Fuller:
Our daughter, Karly, and three of her college friends from Bethel University have been home for an extended break following J-term. Sunday night when we were blessed to be at theRiver, PLC’s college dinner and ministry, we experienced a collision of Karly’s worlds - past and present. I noticed it as first her “past worlds” trickled in through the dinner line and then her present, but it was Karly who put her finger on it at the end of the night as she exclaimed, “Talk about a collision of worlds!” As she and her recently acquired college friends sat in the Worship Center for the college worship, she was surrounded by the following worlds:
Tim – now a UNI student, was born a month after Karly when we lived in Forest City, and she and Tim were church “nursery buds” and shared the same “Wee Ones Worship” seats for five years.
Kenna - was one of Karly’s best friends in Cedar Falls from 1st grade through 12th grade and shared many laughs, tears, and soccer trips with us along the way.
Josh - who hails from a nearby Iowa town and who was awarded the Ed Thomas football scholarship to play football at Bethel this fall, just met Karly this August, and they have now shared some rides back and forth to Bethel. And, it so happened that I, Kay, grew up across the street from Ed Thomas and was honored to have him as my teacher and to cheer for his football squad – a secondary collision.
Kaylee, Lindsey, and Rachael – Karly’s new friends at college – Kaylee who is from Sioux Falls where John and I went to college and Lindsey, who just last week John and I sat with her Senior Pastor at a conference, along with Rachael ,were all friends we prayed for before we knew them.
The thing is, each of these amazing kids has played a critical role in Karly’s life in some chapter of her story. I can recall times specifically when each of them have been there for her at times we were praying for God to show his love to Karly or to provide for her. Sunday night was a unique gift to so clearly have such a weaving of people unexpectedly appear in one place. It was maybe even more incredible because just this weekend in our services, we were reminded of how God often provides His presence through people.
We may not all have such a stark reminder as Karly had on Sunday night, but, if we ponder it, it likely wouldn’t take long to recall people God has used along our journey to collide with us just when we needed them; 2012 might not be a bad time to thank them either.
May we all be keenly aware of God appointed collisions this year!
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