Have you ever felt like you’re walking down a familiar path, only to be pulled off course by a seemingly random encounter? That’s exactly how I felt today. It was business as usual. I was working my sales job when a lady walked in to buy something from me. I didn’t notice anything different, at least not at first. Then I found myself caught in a conversation that went beyond the usual pleasantries about features and benefits. It was a divine detour, a whispered nudge from the Holy Spirit that left me with a heart full of wonder and a renewed sense of purpose.
It started with a simple question from the woman while I was writing up the sales order. During our conversation, I told her I used to be a cop and also a Pastor. This came up because we were both joking around about our difficulty in remembering names and I mentioned three jobs where that poses a challenge.
And then the question. “Why are you no longer a pastor?” Her eyes were filled with a genuine curiosity. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to share with a stranger but at this point, we had a really good rapport giving us both a feeling of familiarity and connection. As I spoke about my “fall from grace” and the winding journey that led me to where I am today, a sense of peace washed over me as I watched her facial expressions that exuded strong evidence of a caring heart.
I told her about Anden Ministries and the beginnings and where the name came from. A short story that brought smiles and even a few chuckles. Without missing a beat, she leaned forward and said, “How is the ministry going?”
I said, “it is going a bit slow but also feels like it is moving quickly at the same time.”
“Why slow?” She asked?
I confessed my fears. I have two types of fear about this ministry. What if it fails? What if the people who have believed in me since the beginning see me fail and feel let down?
The other fear? The fear of success. What if this just takes off and I am not ready to deal with it all? What if there are too many people reaching out for coaching and support and I just can’t handle it all?
I said, “I know it sounds stupid and God is in control of it all, so it is pointless to feel the fear…”
She interrupted me as she leaned forward and asked, “What are you passionate about? What is it that you are passionate about doing?”
I am used to this type of question in my coaching relationships. Both when I am the one doing the coaching and when I am being coached. I just didn’t expect it today, but my answer flowed out easily in that moment. More easily than I believe I have ever experienced in any of my coaching calls. Clearly the Holy Spirit was working through her.
I said, “you know when Jesus told the parable about the leaving the Ninety-Nine to go after the ONE? He also told the parable about the Prodigal son and the woman with the lost coin. So many sermons have been delivered maintaining the idea behind this is to go and share the gospel because there is a world who doesn’t know Jesus and these scriptures tell us to go tell them. Well, I don’t think that was the intended purpose of those stories.
The ONE sheep was originally part of the 99 others: the flock. Either through taking his eyes off of the group or wandering off, he became lost or separated from the flock and by default, the shepherd. When Jesus mentioned leaving the 99 to go after the ONE, as far as I can tell, He was talking about bringing the ONE back to the flock he belonged to originally.
The lost coin once was in the woman’s possession, and she was reunited with it. And the father in the prodigal story celebrated and in fact, ran to greet the son who was returning home. Returning home means he once lived in the same house with his father.
All three of these stories talk about the return of something or someone lost for a time. I have argued this applies to those who have been in ministry as well. You have known the truth and have lost your way for a while because you took your eyes off the Shepherd. You lost your focus or slipped away.
Nobody, at least not usually, wakes up one morning and says, “Today I will defy God and leave His presence.” It is the result of paying attention to something else and taking your focus off Jesus. When the sheep looks up from grazing and realizes the flock isn’t there, he has a choice to go look for them or just stay lost and pout.
So, my passion is to help those in ministry realize this can happen to anyone if you lose focus or do not pay attention. So, what are the warning signs. Also, to help those in ministry understand the most effective ways to go after the ONE in 99 and restore them gently while taking seriously the warning in Galatians 6, to be careful to avoid temptation.
My other passion is to go after the ONE and help them realize restoration and all the healing that comes with the journey back. I know I experienced all of this for a reason, and I believe Anden Ministries is that reason.
The conversation transcended the boundaries of a chance meeting. We both delved into the depths of our faith, sharing vulnerabilities and a few dreams. There were tears and smiles as we spoke of the divine whispers (we both acknowledged the presence of the Holy Spirit) guiding our steps, the unexpected detours that led us closer to our true callings.
The most profound statement she made to me after hearing all of this will stick with me for a long time. She said, “I believe that maybe God took you through all of this so you could minister to others experiencing the same type of thing.”
This encounter wasn’t just a one-off occurrence. It was a stark reminder that the Holy Spirit is always at work, weaving intricate tapestries of connection and purpose even in the most mundane moments. It’s a call to action, a nudge to step out of our comfort zones and embrace the unexpected encounters that life throws our way.
Think about it. When is the last time you had a conversation that went beyond the surface? When did you truly connect with someone on a level reserved for close friends, sharing your deepest hopes and fears? It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind, the routine of work and errands. But in those moments, we often miss the whispers of the Holy Spirit, the divine nudges that can lead us to unexpected blessings.
What would happen if we broke free from the confines of our routines. Just imagine if you were to get out of the office and into the community and open yourself to the conversations that might seem out of place, the connections that might appear random. Can you imagine what would happen if you were willing to listen to the whispers in the wind, the promptings in your heart. You never know who you might meet, what wisdom you might share, or how profoundly your life might be touched by a divine detour.
In our arrogance, we can begin to believe that we control every conversation or that we are the important party in every one of them. We have so much knowledge to share, surely everyone will benefit from our words and wealth of experience. Again, what would happen if we stopped to realize sometimes, even though we may be pastors, the people we talk to are the ones teaching us important lessons.
Remember, the Holy Spirit is always leading, always whispering. Are you ready to listen and follow?
May your journey be filled with divine detours and unexpected blessings!
