Astri's Story pt 2

Let me see now, where was I? Silly question, I was telling Astri’s story, of course. You probably thought that story was over. Nope, that was just the beginning. You see, it was Astri that eventually brought me to God. So here’s the rest of the story.

Astri’s Story part 2
Or
Help, I’ve Been God-Slapped

So, like I said, after Astri was born I took a week off from work to stay home with Joni and didn’t return until the following Monday.

Now, I should mention here that I never told anyone at work about Astri. In fact I never even told anyone that Joni was pregnant. This was mainly because I didn’t really have any friends at work. I mostly keep to myself and was not in the habit of discussing my personal life in the work place.

I can’t remember exactly what day it was. I know it was either Tuesday or Wednesday of that week but can’t remember which. Anyway, I was sitting in the breakroom that day reading my book. It was always my habit to take my breaks in the breakroom, reading. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have any friends. Food for thought. I had the entire breakroom to myself that day which was a little bit unusual. This was a fair-sized office building and there was almost always someone in the breakroom.

So I was sitting there alone, reading, or at least staring at my book. Probably I was just sitting there thinking. Then a lady came into the room and walked over to the coffee pot. I knew who she was because we had worked in the same department for a while, but I didn't say hi or anything because, like I said, I’m not very sociable. I just sat there with my book while she busied herself pouring coffee and getting sugar and creamer and all that. Then she came over to the table where I was sitting and started talking to me. Ugh!

“Are you all right Steven?” she said. Right away I was wondering if she found out about Astri somehow. I hadn’t told anyone so she couldn’t really know. Maybe I just looked tired or something. I lied and told her I was fine.

“Are you sure?” she said. Now I was really starting to wonder. If she didn’t know about Astri, why would she be asking me if I’m okay? I didn’t typically converse with people about anything other than work. Why couldn’t she just leave me alone? Again I lied and told her I was fine.

Then she said the words that changed my life. I still get goose-bumps when I think about it. She looked me right in the eye and said, “The Lord asked me to come over here and tell you that everything is going to be okay.”

Can you imagine? What on earth do you say to someone after something like that? Well, I was in denial. I kind of laughed a little and said, “He did?” Yeah, I know, that response was just too clever for words.

Well, she left me alone after that, but the damage was done. I drifted through the rest of the day and then went home. I told Joni what had happened and she told me that she had been praying for God to comfort me.

I wish I could tell you that my life took a complete one-eighty right then and there, but I can’t. God slapped me right upside the head and said “Enough is enough, listen up!” but it still took me a while to come around.

The important thing is, the chain reaction had begun. No matter how hard I tried, and I did try, I could no longer deny the existence of God. He knew it would take something extreme to reach me, so he did something extreme. He gave me incontrovertible and undeniable proof. I wasn’t ready to hand over my whole life yet, but I knew there was someone to hand it over to, if I chose to.

So anytime those doubts start to creep in on me in the wee hours of the night, all I have to do is remember that day in the breakroom and I feel comforted. God didn’t go to all that trouble just to leave me hanging five years later. I know He loves me, and He is here to stay!

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.