I stood still, heart pounding, feet riveted on the ground as he, a stranger to me, clasped both my hands.
“Thank you so much.” Tears brimmed in his eyes as he said, “Thank you for your pangolin story.”
Really? Just a month ago, I’d shared how, in a moment of desperation, I’d prayed to God to show me if He was there for me and in that moment, an endangered pangolin ambled towards me in the dark. I stood transfixed, overwhelmed by His tangible presence. Wildlife always has a way of revealing His closeness to me.
Yet, the first time I shared this story on the pulpit, I heard a few guffaws. But I kept sharing this story, because the truth is- the point wasn’t about the pangolin, it wasn’t about the audience’s reaction- it was simply that God has His own specific way of making Himself intimately known to us.
As I stood trying to take my hands back, the man continued, “Once, I almost gave up on God. I told Him He had one last chance to make Himself real to me. I walked out of my office building and there in the snow, I saw a broken, gigantic tree branch dangling just inches above my car. Had I not gone out in time to drive my car away, it would have destroyed my vehicle. Your pangolin story reminded me of that, that’s why I’m so emotional.”
Sometimes, isn’t it the “silliest” of stories that help us know how real God is? So if you think you’re crazy, if you think you need to try harder to convince someone else or your kids about the reality of God, perhaps we needn’t. Because He has His ways, and His ways are deeply personal, more than we can imagine. 💛🌨️