My favorite story of God working in my life is from the time I was in grad school. Through my department, I had arranged to complete a 3-month internship at a pharmaceutical company in Basel, Switzerland. I arrived on a Saturday, and I was determined that I would find a church to go to on Sunday. I had looked up the church before I left home, but I didn't think about the fact that I wouldn't have access to the internet to look up better directions once I got there. The only thing I could remember was that it was in a general area on the map on a street that started with M. So I set off, hoping against hope that I would figure it out.
I wandered around the streets for a while, looking for a street that started with M. I found nothing. I didn't see the church or a sign for the church anywhere. I was already feeling a bit homesick and wondering what in the world I was doing there. Not being able to find the church made that even worse. Finally, I gave up in defeat and told God I was going back home (to the place where I was staying).
And this is where God stepped in. After I gave up in defeat, half a block later I saw a sign for the church. I know he led me there because I had already given up. He waited until I had come to the end of myself before he showed me what he had for me. The sign for the church was next to a little doorway to a courtyard. I didn't really see anyone else, and when I went up to the church, the service was in German (I think). Again, I was disappointed because I thought this was supposed to be an English speaking church. But then a young lady about my age turned to me and said, "Are you here for the English service?" I said yes.
She said that the church is connected to a nursing home or retirement home of some kind, and they have their service first, then the English service starts after that. She invited me to sit with her. She said that this was her first time visiting the church, but she knew several people who went there regularly. I sat with their young adult group, and they invited me to lunch with them after church. I ended up hanging out with them until 6 pm! From that time on, I was part of the group. That group made all the difference in my internship experience. Not only did we go to church together on Sundays, we did Bible study during the week, went on weekend trips around Europe together, and just hung out. It was so fun! And it all started when I gave up and God stepped in.
My favorite story of God working in my life is from the time I was in grad school. Through my department, I had arranged to complete a 3-month internship at a pharmaceutical company in Basel, Switzerland. I arrived on a Saturday, and I was determined that I would find a church to go to on Sunday. I had looked up the church before I left home, but I didn't think about the fact that I wouldn't have access to the internet to look up better directions once I got there. The only thing I could remember was that it was in a general area on the map on a street that started with M. So I set off, hoping against hope that I would figure it out.
I wandered around the streets for a while, looking for a street that started with M. I found nothing. I didn't see the church or a sign for the church anywhere. I was already feeling a bit homesick and wondering what in the world I was doing there. Not being able to find the church made that even worse. Finally, I gave up in defeat and told God I was going back home (to the place where I was staying).
And this is where God stepped in. After I gave up in defeat, half a block later I saw a sign for the church. I know he led me there because I had already given up. He waited until I had come to the end of myself before he showed me what he had for me. The sign for the church was next to a little doorway to a courtyard. I didn't really see anyone else, and when I went up to the church, the service was in German (I think). Again, I was disappointed because I thought this was supposed to be an English speaking church. But then a young lady about my age turned to me and said, "Are you here for the English service?" I said yes.
She said that the church is connected to a nursing home or retirement home of some kind, and they have their service first, then the English service starts after that. She invited me to sit with her. She said that this was her first time visiting the church, but she knew several people who went there regularly. I sat with their young adult group, and they invited me to lunch with them after church. I ended up hanging out with them until 6 pm! From that time on, I was part of the group. That group made all the difference in my internship experience. Not only did we go to church together on Sundays, we did Bible study during the week, went on weekend trips around Europe together, and just hung out. It was so fun! And it all started when I gave up and God stepped in.