This statement has proven incredibly powerful over the past month. I truly hope this message brings hope to others because it has given me more hope than I have felt in quite some time.
My husband promised to join me for Easter service. In a previous article, The Smallest Seeds, I shared how he attended Christmas Eve service with me and what a blessed experience that was. Unfortunately, he hadn’t attended again until Easter – but again, it’s in His time, not ours.
I want to share the powerful message my pastor gave that morning. He spoke about conversations and how the most important conversations we will ever have are the ones we have with our Father in heaven. I know this well, but he also shared something that struck me deeply. He said there was a reason every single person was sitting in that room – whether they were people of faith, someone attending because it was Easter, or even someone who felt they were simply there because they were asked to come.
There was a reason we were there because God wants to hear from us directly.
Throughout the message, my pastor kept emphasizing the word, “you.” As he spoke, I couldn’t help but feel like those words were being spoken directly to my husband.
Now, I know my husband well, and I knew I didn’t want to push things too much afterward. It was already a big step for him simply to attend church, so I felt in my heart to leave the conversation alone and allow him space to process. If he wanted to share, he would.
A few hours later, he randomly said how easy it was to listen to my pastor speak and how relatable he was. Then he said something that stopped me in my tracks.
“And you know what? I may try that praying thing on my own.”
Once again – but God.
As thrilled as I was, I kept my composure and simply agreed that it would be good for him to just “try it.” I know my husband well enough to know that launching into excitement or a long discussion would likely have pushed him away. So I quietly thanked God in my heart.
But again – but God.
Two nights later, I even got him to watch the movie The Case for Christ with me. I was a little apprehensive about suggesting it, but I took a leap of faith and asked if he would watch it together.
The movie tells the story of journalist Lee Strobel and his journey to faith. As a committed atheist and investigative reporter, Strobel sets out to disprove Christianity after his wife becomes a believer. His search leads him through historical and medical evidence surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. What begins as an attempt to disprove faith ultimately leads him to become a believer himself – and eventually a pastor.
The story begins with what appears to be a coincidence. Strobel’s young daughter begins choking in a restaurant, and a nurse who happened to be there saves her life. Strobel’s wife soon believes it was God’s providence that the nurse was there that day, while Strobel believes it was simply coincidence.
But the nurse explains that she had originally planned to go somewhere else and changed her plans at the last minute. She believed firmly that there are no coincidences—that she was meant to be there.
Watching this story unfold was powerful. I honestly believe that anyone who approaches the story with an open mind – even someone skeptical – could walk away with a different perspective. The historical and medical evidence presented in Strobel’s investigation is compelling.
Now, I cannot say that my husband had the same life-changing moment that Lee Strobel experienced. Perhaps it is not his time…yet.
But what I can say is this: he truly enjoyed the movie. Afterward, we had conversations about it. He even compared me to Lee’s wife and pointed out similarities in how I came to faith. His curiosity and willingness to talk about it gave me a renewed sense of hope.
Maybe his journey has already begun.
What I do know is that I will continue to pray the same prayer that Lee’s wife prayed for him, from Ezekiel 36:26:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
So my friends, there are no coincidences.
It was no coincidence that my husband attended church that day and heard a message that spoke so clearly to the importance of speaking directly with God. It was no coincidence that his heart was open enough to watch The Case for Christ with me – something that would never have happened before.
This is the work of our Most High.
And while we may sometimes grow impatient, wanting things to happen on our timeline, we must remember that it is always His time, not ours.
The seeds continue to be planted. And even when the growth is slow, growth is still happening.
Stay faithful. Continue praying for your spouses. God is always working behind the scenes.
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I picture Jesus speaking these words over me and even sitting in my bedroom quietly praying over me the night’s verse.