Recently while waiting with Marion, my better half, to board the plane on our trip to Stockholm, out of nowhere I became rather anxious. The voice in my head was yelling, “Oh my God you’re leaving home for a foreign country, oh my God, oh my God”. I looked over at Marion and I knew she was also feeling anxious. At this point we agreed to pray together (right in the airport in the middle of what felt like a few hundred other folks waiting to board). When we finished praying and opened our eyes, we were met by a woman who smiled at us and replied “It so nice to see people praying”.
That began a half hour of conversation.
The Coincidences Begin
Marion and I were praying the quote “All things are possible through Christ” and this woman said her favorite passage was exactly that. As she continued to talk with us, she shared that she had family members in AA. Her story was so closely related to Marion’s, and her al-anon life so closely related to us both. Underneath all of this was a calm settling that came over both Marion and myself. We continued to talk and she then presented Marion with a bracelet that had the piece of scripture we were praying, which happened to be our new friend’s favorite verse. We talked and laughed some more. She shared that both she and her husband were missionaries doing God’s work and how she gave her life to Jesus in 1988. Ironically, that is the the same year both Marion and I got sober, and did the same.
It Gets Even More Interesting
As we all began to board, she told us where she would be sitting and we asked here if we could sit and talk some more duringour seven hour flight. Here is where it got even more interesting. Marion and I were in place of ease and comfort getting our center back knowing we were going to Stockholm on an invitation to share with other AA members-Gods work. The anxious feeling was replaced with gratitude and purpose.
During the flight Marion went to look for a new found friend (who we watched board the flight). This woman was nowhere to be found. We searched her seat and others seats as well-nowhere. When we deplaned she was nowhere. Not even in the baggage claim area.
In just a half hour or so this woman had such profound effect on us both. Her name translated means “God is gracious”.
Was she an Angel sent by Him for us both? Was this just one of those things that happens by coincidence?
Her presence is still with us three days later. Was she an Angel sent by Him?
Blessings,
Peter Marinelli
Chop wood, carry water
