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    God in the Serendipity
    God in the Serendipity
    God in the Serendipity
    Ebook128 pages5 hours

    God in the Serendipity

    By Sally Brenden

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    About this ebook

    Glorious, indeed, the times when unexpectedly God’s undeniable presence is with you.

    It may be at a medical appointment, driving down the highway, playing the piano or on the dance floor. It may be while making lasagna, during a potluck luncheon, or after indulging in white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake. Perhaps while engrossed in your work or at leisure with your family; even while you are sleeping.
    Special moments and unexplainable experiences when God surprises you with an awareness of His presence, power, protection, and love; tasking you to conduct Royal Business on His behalf – life changing experiences where you know in your heart of hearts it is Him.

    Yes, by His Spirit, God is with Jesus followers every moment, but there are Sacred Moments, Divine Appointments, Heavenly Visitations, Hallowed Callings, when the Creator of the Universe is breathtakingly present. I’m hard pressed to know what to call them. God sightings? God moments? They most certainly are. But I prefer to call them God in the serendipity.

    Does He enter the lives of regular folks like you and I with all our faults and failures? Are there moments when He is so present you have no doubt that it could only be Him? How sad, but true, so many of us are not convinced that God is active in our lives. How many of us want Him as an insurance policy against hell, yet live out our days in this customer unfriendly world not convinced He has shown up for our lives?

    While most of my life, and probably yours, is lived Under the Mystery, there are cherished moments of serendipity when the Creator of the Universe surprises and overwhelms me by entering my small world. Glorious times of God in the Serendipity.

    Do I have stories to tell you!!!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSally Brenden
    Release dateMar 16, 2014
    ISBN9780989891851
    God in the Serendipity
    Author

    Sally Brenden

    Professionally and as a community volunteer, Sally Nelson Brenden is known as a passionate and fearless champion of the disenfranchised. Her heart has found its calling in creating sanctuaries of honor for at-risk youth, mothers of children with disabilities, and the dying. Sally is also a playwright and lyricist. Her first musical, “Fishing Widows: The Reel Story” opened in 2010.Her pleasures are simple: crème brulee coffee, bike rides on a summer day, rainbows in the Rocky Mountains and Panera mornings by the fire with Jesus. Sauk Rapids Minnesota is home to Sally, her family and her spiffy hat collection.

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      Book preview

      God in the Serendipity - Sally Brenden

      GOD IN THE SERENDIPITY

      Sally Brenden

      Copyright 2014 Sally Brenden

      Graphic Design by Stefanie Brenden

      Smashwords Edition

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Table of Contents

      Dedication

      Foreward

      Chapter 1: Fifty White Roses

      Chapter 2: For the Love of Christ Compels Me

      Chapter 3: Senior Prom

      Chapter 4: A Valentine for Jesus

      Chapter 5: The Music of Mayo

      Chapter 6: May Others Find Healing in My Wounds

      Chapter 7: I Come to the Garden Alone

      Chapter 8: A Christmas Gift from Mary

      Chapter 9: God the Playwright

      Chapter 10: John and the Cheesecake Factory

      Chapter 11: Temporary Daughter

      Chapter 12: An Unlikely Little Princess Who Grew Up and Wore Hats

      Chapter 13: Edible Goulash. Who Knew?

      Chapter 14: Angels Along Highway 23

      Chapter 15: Green Lights and I-Passes

      Chapter 16: Sweet Dreams (Without Apology to Patsy Cline)

      Chapter 17: God in the Serendipity

      Notes

      About the Author

      Acknowledgments

      Other Books by Author

      Dedication

      Dedicated to the ones I love who have not yet chosen to follow Jesus.

      Foreword

      Glorious, indeed, the times when unexpectedly God’s undeniable presence is with you.

      It may be at a medical appointment, driving down the highway, playing the piano or on the dance floor. It may be while making lasagna, during a potluck luncheon, or after indulging in white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake. Perhaps while engrossed in your work or at leisure with your family; even while you are sleeping.

      Special moments and unexplainable experiences when God surprises you with an awareness of His presence, power, protection, love; tasking you to conduct Royal Business on His behalf – life changing experiences where you know in your heart of hearts it is Him.

      Yes, by His Spirit, God is with Jesus followers every moment, but there are Sacred Moments, Divine Appointments, Heavenly Visitations, Hallowed Callings, when the Creator of the Universe is breathtakingly present.

      I’m hard pressed to know what to call them. God Sightings? God Moments? They most certainly are. But I prefer to call them God in the Serendipity.

      Tell me one thing that has happened in your life that only God could have done, my brother Tim asked me recently.

      Instantly I rattled off a litany of instances, Tim across from me in the booth at Panera Bread, flabbergasted, make that flummoxed, at the immediacy and number of instances I was sharing.

      A pastor and Bible teacher of old and young, he was shocked, informing me that most of the time when he asked this question, he was met with a blank stare and silence.

      How sad, but true, so many of us are not convinced that God is active in our lives. How many of us want Him as an insurance policy against hell, yet live out our days in this customer unfriendly world not convinced He has shown up for our lives?

      Does He enter the lives of regular folks like you and I with all our faults and failures? Are there moments when He is so present you have no doubt that it could only be Him?

      This book is written as much for me as it is for you. For how easy it is for me to forget the times when His love and presence took my breath away. I suspect it is no easier for you.

      My stories are simple; true stories of an ordinary person living an ordinary life marked by extraordinary moments when God is undeniably present.

      While most of my life, and probably yours, is lived Under the Mystery, there are cherished moments of serendipity when the Creator of the Universe surprises and overwhelms me by entering my small world. Glorious times of God in the Serendipity.

      Some of the stories I shared with Tim over coffee at Panera Bread I now share with you.

      Chapter 1: Fifty White Roses

      In the deepest layer of the heart, beyond words and hope, where even dreams seldom dare go, lies the desire of the heart, accessible only to God.

      This life is not user-friendly; mine, no exception. The pain of the years had taken its toll. I had never been so discouraged.

      My fiftieth birthday was just around the corner. I found myself shamelessly announcing it—my heart crying out desperately, Don’t forget Sally! I thought about my upcoming birthday. More than anything I wanted a display of love so extravagant that I wouldn’t have a place big enough to hold it.

      I love the story of Mary pouring the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet - outrageous and extravagant love. Loving extravagantly became a goal of my life. But now, my heart on Empty, I needed to be the recipient.

      In a rare moment of quiet months before, I’d let my heart hope. On my birthday, God, let me know that I am loved. Extravagantly! Recklessly! Unquestionably! Mercilessly! And He said to my heart, What would be just perfect? And I told Him, Fifty white roses on my birthday. And as quickly as it had come, hope left. And I thought no more about fifty white roses.

      My birthday came. 6:30 a.m. found me at my office, a bit surprised to find it untouched—no black balloons, over the hill banners, cobwebs, the usual office accouterments of such a milestone to make it festive. Birthday songs awaited me on my voice mail as did emails and e-cards. Live voices began calling with birthday greetings before my coat was off. Colleagues began trickling in, stopping by with smiles, wishes, hugs and even two birthday cakes. Presents wrapped by sweet little hands had been left on the kitchen table awaiting my return home along with the promise of a swell dinner out with just the five of us. And stashed away in

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