Second Chances

The more time I'm here, the more I am amazed at the God we serve. Monday night was once again one of our prayer nights. My partner and I walk the streets and the beach while lifting up prayers for the ones doing bar ministry..... that they would have boldness, love, and compassion for the men and women they come across. I found myself sitting in the sand worshipping and praying very intently when all of a sudden a Western looking man and Thai girl sat down maybe six steps away from me. This has become a common sight that I have almost accepted as the norm down here, but I found myself trying not to stare at this peculiar couple. He seemed very young and nervous, not really knowing what to do or how to talk to this girl. She seemed very unhappy to be there, and almost trying to distance herself from him. She kept looking at me trying to make eye contact, and we exchanged a few smiles. I tried to stop looking in that direction because I felt like the man was beginning to catch on that the girl was having more interactions with me through simply smiling, than he was trying to have with words. So I continued to pray and then it hit me like the waves crashing in front of me. "Give her a flyer." Now if you have read my blog about Hesitation from Fear, you can remember last week when I decided not to listen and I missed an opportunity God had appointed. So this week....I was not going to make that mistake again.
So I went to tell my partner I was going to hand this girl a flyer about the organization we are helping, and just to keep walking after I do.  She agreed and I began to walk towards the couple still sitting in the sand. With each step, I grew more nervous. I began doubting, my head was asking, "How do I hand it to her, Do I drop it in the sand? What if the man gets mad? What if I heard God wrong?" But what happened next threw all my doubts out the window. As a got closer I noticed an old woman with roses approaching the couple as well. We were angling them off to what seemed like, that we would meet them at the same time. When I got close enough I realized that the old woman with roses began asking the man if he wanted any, which drew his attention to the left..... away from me slipping the paper in the hands of the girl on the right. If I could describe my expression in words, it was like I had won a prize without the knowledge of even registering for the prize. I couldn't believe what had happened. We continued to walk away and eventually I stopped, and asked my partner, "Did that really happen?" She confirmed that it was only through God's timing that it would ever be possible. We left the beach and I was overflowing with the joy of second chances. I got a second chance and God was a part of every second, literally. I learned that night to stop doubting when you hear the whispers of God. I learned that when He tells you to do something, He is going to follow through. And I learned that there is joy in second chances. I don't know the situation of that girl on the beach but I do know that I didn't hesitate from fear. I do know that God shows up when He tells you to do something, usually in bigger ways than you ever thought. I am amazed at our God, and how He intricately designs and places everything in your life to be where it is. There is purpose in the Father, there is perfect timing, joy, and there is second chances.