Those who know me best are not surprised when I tell them tales like this because they hear them all the time. But things like the story I am about to tell you always remind me of the sovereignty of God, the power of prayer, and the fact that I seem to have a genetic kinship with Forest Gump (i.e. strange things happen to me consistently).

I was on my way home from speaking all day in Asheville, NC just 2 hours ago. It was freezing and snow had been falling most of the day. I was trying a new shortcut to our new house and got lost, so I had to turn around and hunt for the correct road. Driving directly into the setting sun with no sunglasses in the car, I thought I saw a person hitch-hiking on the right shoulder. I am an absolute sucker for hitch-hikers and have picked up no less than 500 in my life. Naturally I pulled over.

Then I realized he had a gun.

I thought of my mother and how she would drop dead from a coronary if she knew half the insane and dangerous situations her son had willfully placed himself in, then I opened the door and invited the hitch-hiking gunman into my truck. It became evident, though, that not only was the firearm a Daisy pellet gun, but the hitch-hiker was no older than 17. He was shivering from the cold and his hand was like a block of ice when I extended mine to shake his as a token of trust and goodwill. He told me he was planning to camp out but decided not to. When I asked him if he was sure he wasn’t running away from home, he admitted that it was true and looked surprised that I could tell.

I drove him back home. I insisted that I meet his mother and explain to her what had happened. When we walked into his living room, his mother was sitting in the den, praying and crying. I told her the story and my name. We talked about her son and some of the stuggles he has had since he was a small child. I visited with them and then prayed for their family, especially her 17 year old son who said “I just want to have a good life, and please everyone, but I just feel like I cannot get my head straight.” He had a sweet, innocent spirit and I knew that he wanted to be free to follow Christ, but could not get that freedom yet. Then I drove home, once again amazed at how God works.

You see, all day today I have felt fatigued and sick. I missed my family terribly and wondered why I even bothered to leave the house. And when I got lost taking my attempted short-cut hime after a long, long day, instead of feeling frustrated, I felt the Holy Spirit tell me that it was on purpose, that there was a reason. And when I picked up the young man, I had a clear image enter my mind of his mother, hands folded with a tissue, praying for God to bring her son home. And then, when I told her my name, it turns out that she once attended a church where one of my best friends, Steven Furtick, was the worship pastor. And, while I was there, 8 people called to see if anyone had seen her son, because they had all been out driving around looking for him, and they were panicked because it was almost dark.

She gave them all the same response when they called. “He is home safe. I will call you back later and tell you what happened. You won’t believe it.”

I never tire of seeing how God answers prayer, how 5 different scenarios converge in a few moments, and how amazed the people of God are when He intervenes on their behalf. So if you see any hitch-hikers with pellet guns, there is a good chance that a mama is praying somewhere for that boy, and a miracle is just moments away.

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