Friday, August 13: Tommy, can you hear Me?

About a month ago, I received an email from a man in Georgia I had never met. He was looking for a part-time job for his son, who had been a college tennis player and teaching tennis professional in North Carolina. His son, who had grown up in a Christian household and had a relationship with the Lord, had developed a substance abuse issue somewhere along the way. He was in treatment in Orange County, and was seeking the Lord again. Though I didn’t have enough lessons to hire a second teaching pro, I told the father that I would be glad to talk with his son, Tommy. The father and I exchanged a few emails, and he forwarded my email address to Tommy.


Two weeks ago, I received an email from Tommy’s mother. From the tone of the email, it didn’t sound like she knew that Tommy’s father and I had corresponded. She, too, found my tennis web site, yet she also noticed that I spoke of my relationship with the Lord. By that time, Tommy had moved to a sober-living house in Laguna. After a few email exchanges, she forwarded my phone number to Tommy and his to me. But I dropped the ball. In the midst of summer, it’s all I can do to teach, write my daily devotional and get a little rest, but by week’s end, my body is completely out of energy. I thought about Tommy often, and knew that one way to get to know him would be to go play tennis with him. Yet with my 50-year-old body already struggling, I wasn’t excited about hitting with a 26-year-old former collegiate tennis player! I decided to wait until my camps had ended before calling him.


This morning, I went to the grocery store around 7:15 to pick up ice, Gatorade and water for my final day of tennis camp for the summer. A young man noticed my tennis attire and initiated a conversation:

“Are you a tennis pro,” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, “Do you play tennis?”
“I do play tennis,” he responded. I played in college, but I also used to teach tennis in North Carolina. I just moved to Laguna Beach as I moved into a sober-living house near here.”
“Is your name Tommy,” I asked, with tears in my eyes. “Your parents both contacted me recently and gave me your phone number. I think God really wanted us to meet!”

The look on Tommy’s face was just as incredulous as the one on mine. We had a brief conversation after that. He had gotten up later than he wanted, as he was on his way to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It was not his custom to go to the grocery store, but as he was later than he planned, he rushed over there to get a cup of coffee. Tommy might have been late on his own time schedule, but in God’s eyes, he was perfectly on time. In the same regard, I might have been late calling Tommy, but this morning, I was also perfectly on time, for that chance meeting at a grocery store!


I had tears rolling down my cheeks on my drive to the tennis courts. Isn’t God awesome? We all lose sight of the daily miracles that He performs in each of our lives.

Tonight, I called Tommy to set up some tennis, fellowship and a Bible study for Wednesday. As I reminded him in our phone conversation tonight, I am blown away by God’s little miracles. Truly, no miracle is small in effect, yet when God raises a man from the dead as He did with Lazarus or parts the Red Sea to clear a dry path of escape for the Jews, many people see the signs and wonders and marvel at God’s power. Yet when God does something as He did this morning, it reminds us of how intertwined He truly is in the lives of His people! His scarlet thread weaves throughout our lives! How much does He love us? He knows everything about us, including what time we will get up, where we will go, what clothes we will put on, what words we will choose when we speak, and how all that will impact more than one person at the same time. God had me put up a web page with my tennis information and my beliefs. He had Tommy’s parents find that web page. He led them to email me. All of these things worked together. In this situation, God certainly blessed me. He also blessed Tommy. Additionally, He blessed Tommy’s parents. And I hope that by reading about this event, it also will bless you! Never forget:


And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28


Really? All things? God is so big that He can orchestrate every single event to bless us and to glorify His name! Thanks, God, for yet another miracle, and along with it, another reminder of Your guiding hand in my life and in the lives of Your followers!


The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
Psalm 25:9


For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11