A God Wink Story: He is with us when we grieve

A God wink is defined as “an event or personal experience, often seen as a coincidence, that is so astonishing it’s believed to be a sign of divine intervention, especially when it seems to answer a prayer” (source: Wiktionary). The phrase was introduced by author Squire Rushnell in his book series, God Winks, which shares examples from the lives of people.

Maybe you can recall a God wink story of your own or one someone shared with you? These seemingly random experiences which feel orchestrated by a higher power really capture our attention and tend to be quite memorable. When we hear God wink stories, our minds become more curious about God. Our hearts feel reassured and hope-filled. Watchfulness for God’s presence in our own lives may even increase.

Every now and then, I catch a God wink. Recently, in the span of a week, I felt blessed to catch a handful. Here’s my story:

God Winks Once…

On December 22, just a few days shy of Christmas, my kind and charismatic father-in-law passed away. My husband, Darryl, and I were in Florida at the time, so we needed to make quick travel arrangements to Iowa for the funeral being held on the 26th. Because it was the busiest time of the year for travel, we knew it would be difficult to find a flight and a place to board our dog. After a brief discussion, we decided to bite-the-bullet and drive the 25 hour trip over the course of two days.

God makes a way and guides us there

With decisions made about travel and a hotel reserved along the way, Darryl began helping his sister with funeral arrangements. Meanwhile, I went out to run errands and prepare for the trip. Our dog had a previously scheduled grooming appointment, so I stopped by there to drop him off. Behind the front desk, a sign about boarding services caught my attention.

Hesitantly, I said, “I bet you’re booked full for Christmas. We have a death in the family and need to travel to Iowa for the funeral this week. Our dog, Louie, is too heavy to fly in the cabin with us, so we made plans to drive. If he could stay here and we could find a flight, it would sure save us a lot of time. Is there any room at your inn?”

After listening patiently to my heartache and rambling, the receptionist said, “Oh, I am sorry for your loss. Sure, we can take him. Don’t worry about it. He will fine here. You can call and check on him anytime.”

I hurried home to check if flights were available. We were able to take the last flight out on Christmas Eve which allowed us to spend Christmas Day resting and preparing for the next day’s funeral. We felt so fortunate to have that extra time to ready ourselves while knowing our dog was being well cared for…Wink!

God Winks Twice…

My father-in-law, Dan, loved spending time visiting with his family and friends. He liked listening to people talk about their lives, and he enjoyed sharing experiences from his own life too (especially if they were funny or adventurous). At the funeral, Darryl and his sister, Amy, shared some of their dad’s stories, along with memories of his dedicated service to country, community, church, family, and friends.

God replaces weary confusion with comfort and peace

As you can imagine, or maybe know firsthand, it can be hard to know what to say at the funeral of a loved one. As Darryl and Amy talked back and forth about this difficulty, I suggested they read a story I’d come across that had been shared at other funerals. They could share it at their dad’s service or just let it guide them in preparing their tributes.

The story is called “Keep Your Fork–The Best is Yet to Come.” You can read a version of it at this link. There are numerous versions on the internet, but the work is originally attributed to Roger William Thomas. Through this clever tale, the author reminds us death is not the end for those who believe in Jesus. Keep your fork, because like dessert, heaven is on the way! In her eulogy, Amy mentioned the fork story and its comforting message–we will see Dan again in heaven. The best is yet to come!

The next day, Amy met her daughters at a restaurant for breakfast. Inside, they saw a tall Christmas tree loaded with shiny decorations. They leaned in for a closer look at the ornaments. “Are those…forks? Really? Wow, yes, forks!” Forks dangling from the branches of a Christmas tree…Wink!

God Winks Three Times…

Shortly after the funeral, our son and his wife took a flight to Florida. Their flight had been scheduled months earlier in anticipation of spending some holiday time there with us. Our own Florida return flight was to depart early the next day, but it was cancelled for unknown reasons. After a lot of time on hold with the airline, we were rebooked on a different flight the following day. At least we still have most of the week left to enjoy time with the kids, we thought.

God protects

The morning brought sleet, snow, and dangerously powerful gusts of wind (40+ mph)! The National Weather Service issued a snow squall advisory for the region. But, our flight was still scheduled to leave on time, so Amy and her husband carefully drove us over snowy, ice covered roads to the airport.

We boarded the plane, but then sat for two hours at the gate waiting to see if weather conditions would improve enough for de-icing and take-off. They didn’t. Eventually, that flight was also cancelled. The next workable flight option available to us was four days away. Weary and frustrated, we got off the plane and headed to the car rental center.

The pickings were slim, and the mid-size vehicle we requested was not available, but the salesperson gave us a free upgrade for an SUV with all wheel drive. This sounded like a good choice for driving in a snow squall, so we snatched it up. Early the next day, we started the long journey back to Florida. Weather and traffic delays extended our trip a few hours, so we ended up driving 27 hours total, 18 hours the first day and about 9 the second.

God encourages our hearts

The finish line of this roller coaster trip was in our sights. You see, months earlier, I had made a dinner reservation at a restaurant on the beach for a special celebration of Christmas and New Year’s. We really wanted to be there, but if we couldn’t make it, we would tell the kids to go and enjoy it without us. Our reservation was at 5:30 p.m. and we pulled into our driveway at 5:00. Thirty minutes to spare–plenty of time to freshen up after two days on the road, right?! Ha. Isn’t it funny how you can keep moving when you’re happy and excited? We had finally made it!

But wait, there’s more. My father-in-law’s favorite car was the corvette, and in his later years, he enjoyed driving a red one of his very own. As we arrived at the restaurant that evening, a bright flash of red caught my eye. Surprised, I turned around for a second look and my hunch was confirmed. There, under the rays of a beautiful setting sun, right next to the restaurant entrance, sat a shiny red corvette…Wink!

God is with us when we grieve

I find it amazing how God kept making his presence known throughout our travel and trouble. Although we grieved the loss of Dan this Christmas, we were blessed to receive gifts from our God who never leaves us. With lovingkindness, he delivered guidance, comfort, peace, protection, and encouragement all along the way.

Will we always receive God winks when we grieve? Speaking from my own experiences with loss, the answer would be no. But, just because God sometimes seems distant, it doesn’t mean he is (Deuteronomy 31:8). He may be quiet, but he still hears our prayers and sees our tears (Psalm 139:4, 1 John 5:14-15, Psalm 56:8).

Even when we don’t sense God through physical reminders, action, or emotion, we can trust his presence is always with us (Matthew 28:20, Isaiah 46:4). The Bible is the Word of God, and as such it is a reliable source for his ongoing companionship, comfort, and strength. As we get to know him better through the Bible, he will use it to give us the wisdom, encouragement, and assurance we need. Verses of Scripture will stick in our minds or nudge our hearts at the just the right time to help us feel closer to God.

Friend, if you’re grieving or discouraged in some way, remember God always loves you and he stays by your side. Whatever you are going through, keep your eyes, heart, and mind open for him to make himself known. Keep trusting he is working for your ultimate good even when you don’t see evidence of it (Romans 8:28, Isaiah 55:9, Ephesians 3:20). It’s quite possible he will surprise you one day.

Press on in faith my friends!
~ Jamie

10 Bible Verses for Comfort in Grief

1. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
   Psalm 34:18
2. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.
   Deuteronomy 31:8
3. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
   Psalm 23:4
4. You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
   Psalm 18:28
5. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
   2 Corinthians 1:3-4
6. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
   1 Peter 5:7
7. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
   Matthew 5:4
8. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
   Psalm 147:3
9. Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
   John 11:25-26
10. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
    Revelation 21:4
    

Related Posts:

• Small Surprises from God
• Even Now, God is Faithful–a poem
• Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
• Lessons from Dad
• Where is God when Life Hurts?
• 4 Faith-filled Ways to Persevere in Hard Times
• 40 Bible Verses to Help you Hold on to Hope
• Praise God Through Every Season of Life
• Bible Verses to Calm Worry and Anxiety
• I Will Come Forth As Gold (Job 23:10)
• Connecting with the Holy Spirit
• Lord, Come Find Me: a prayer to meet with God

Stay in Touch

I’d love to have you join my group of email subscribers. Join now and receive my list of 20 Scriptures to Tuck Away for Difficult Days.

If you enjoyed this post, someone else might too! Please share: