No matter. This blank page and blinking cursor have been right here waiting for me. And God has faithfully continued to speak to my heart through words, experiences, and people. My desire is to honor Him by sharing what He has revealed to me.
So. I think it's only right to kick off 2017 with part two of The Quest for my Desk.
After months of searching (and, as you know, several IKEA trips), I found it.
My perfect desk was nestled between stacked rows of tables, chairs, and nightstands at the Nashville Flea Market.
It was just what I wanted.
It wasn't too big, wasn't too small, not too bulky or too fancy. It was just right.
It was exactly the size I was looking for, with clean lines and classic, yet feminine features, and it was within my budget (Dave Ramsey would be so proud!). The legs were bright blue (y'all, I'm talking iMessage blue), but it was nothing a quick coat of paint couldn't fix.
I was so excited! My search was finally over. My dear friends were equally as happy, as they, too, were invested in my quest, and had been helping me look for just the right thing.
I loved it, and couldn't wait to get it home. I paid the seller, and we loaded the desk into my dear roommate's mom's SUV. She generously offered to take it home for me, since it wouldn't fit in my car. She took off, and we had just started walking to our car when a man driving a golf cart offered us a ride to our car. It was a hot day and we had been walking around for hours, so we were grateful for the ride and hopeful for a bit of a cool breeze as we rode down the hill to the car.
We got so much more than just a cool breeze.
I sat in front and began chatting with the driver. He casually mentioned that he had been volunteering at the Nashville Flea Market for years, and that he had actually just returned from a long break because he received a heart transplant.
Ok, God ... I'm listening.
He proceeded to share with us how he had found God through his transplant. He said that he had never been a believer before, but he had become one after seeing God at work in his own life.
He shared with us that he had always had heart issues, and that he knew he would need a transplant eventually. When the time came for him to be listed for transplant, he received his new heart very quickly. The timing of his transplant, in conjunction with a local news story, led him to believe that he knew whose heart he had received.
His new heart had belonged to a teenager whose family was well known within the community. Through some mutual friends, our driver learned that the teenager had planned to take his Crane Test in karate the day he died. Interestingly, shortly after our driver had returned home following his transplant, he was in his garden enjoying the warmth of the sun when a crane flew in and began cawing at him. Come to find out, the teenager's father had a similar experience with a crane in the weeks after his son's passing. He believed that was a sign from the Lord, which brought him peace. This was one of many ways that our driver experienced God during his transplant journey.
It was such an honor to hear this man tell the story of how he had encountered God, and how the Lord changed his life. Our God is so good and so gracious to draw near to us and to allow us to draw near to Him.
Our driver underwent a physical heart transplant, and through that experience, he received a spiritual heart transplant. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Thank you, Lord!
God is constantly reminding me to slow down and look for how He is at work in the world around me. I am so thankful for that hot day in Nashville when God slowed me down so that I could hear that man share his testimony.
The desk was just a bonus.
