God's timing

He is in a hurry to leave but suddenly he wants to share his story.  We meet at the coffee shop once a week. I’ve known him for about a year. Trust takes time. He begins with his son and daughter-in-law who are getting a divorce.  “I tried to help them the last few years, giving advice, looking up counselors for them, but they didn’t follow up,” he said.  “My 8 year old granddaughter and 11 year old grandson break my heart.  My grandson told me that he’d rather grow up with me - he thought he’d turn out better.  I came from a broken home too. My dad left when I was 5.  At least my younger brother who was a baby can’t remember them fighting,” he stated.
 
“My daughter started cutting when she was a teenager. We looked for help.  The counselor was a Christian although we didn’t know it.  After one session she said to me, ‘You’re looking for something aren’t you?’  I thought, ‘How did she know?’  She went on, ‘I shouldn’t do this but I’m going to mix my profession with my faith. You need God. Why don’t you join my husband and me for church this Sunday.’” He couldn’t convince anyone else in his family to go. He went alone. He cried through the whole service.  “Wait,” I interrupt, “I thought you said you went to counseling for your daughter?”  “Well,” he admitted, “I had also just had a very tough business partner breakup. I was broken.”  He found Christ.  The church is a place of grace for broken people. We plant seeds. We water plants. We live life. God brings the growth in His time.