God's Smuggler

Brother Andrew's story of God working in his life is really amazing to read. He grew up seeking adventure and got the biggest one of all. For many years, he smuggled Bibles into Communist countries, without being arrested. Even now, he is looking forward to the new frontier: Muslim countries.

The miracles he tells are tough to see in my life. It is hard to see the providence of God, meeting basic needs, when we meet so many by our own endeavors. Reflecting on this while reading the book, I wondered this week, have Lee and I removed our self from God's care by being too independent? Counting on our own abilities, instead of looking to God?

So Sunday rolls around and we are planning to head to another Catholic church, for a few reasons, but not the least is Holly and our temporarily closed nursery (our Church is in the middle of moving). Lee and I agreed that a visit to the next closest church would be a nice change, and they have a cry room.

At the same time, my husband gets a call that his cousins' son, 20 years old, has died in a car accident. This is heavy on our minds as we are preparing for Mass today.

Then a friend calls and offers to babysit Holly so we can all attend Mass together here in town. We take them up on the offer, happily! After Mass, my husband lights a candle and prays for the Armstrong family. That God would be with them, that He would welcome their son into Heaven, and let the family know He is still caring for them all.

The rest of us had gone for coffee in the parish hall. My husband comes and looks over a table of free books, left by some missionaries from Belmont Abbey. And there in the middle of the table is a Living Bible.

My husband's grandmother's Bible. Her name is in it. Her notes. Or maybe it is Aunt Patricia's? Either way Armstrong is written in the Bible. How did this book come from a Baptist family across the state by way of out of town missionaries and end up in a Catholic church on the very day he was praying for that exact same part of the family.

Today, it was Lee's turn for small miracle.

Please join our prayers for The Armstrong family, for their son, for the Holy Spirit to carry them these next weeks, surrounding them with the Love of God. And letting them know their son is in Heaven.