It sounds like the start of an interesting novel, but it was actually a stranger standing in the McDonald's line we joined on our way home from Pagosa Springs.
He had been talking to my mom in the line and gave me a hug. He was about 6'3" with bushy white hair peeking out from under a Marine's baseball cap. He was neatly and expensively dressed and had two large distinctive rings, one an alumni ring from somewhere, and one a quarter-sized oval gold ring with a simple raised gold cross. He had a definite accent, but spoke perfect English.
He sat down near us and began talking to the boys. He told them not to get tattoos, not to drink, not to do drugs. Then he told them to love God, the real God, he said, not just any god.
I asked him where he was from and he said he was from a far away country originally, but lives in the States now. He didn't seem to want to tell me where he was from, but finally he said, "Italia." I found him to be fascinating. He is a retired marine, and has an engineer son. His wife is still working in the air force.
I'm so glad we stopped and met him! I pray that this Sunday (today) will be a blessing to him and that God will continue to give him opportunities to encourage young boys to be upstanding and godly citizens.
I call encounters like that, "Divine Encounters". I believe God brings people in our lives to minister to us and sometimes, we have the opportunity to minister to them. Thanks for sharing your encounter.
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