From Charlie Gray

I made a new friend last week. Not a Facebook friend but a real friend that I could pat on the back and shake his hand. His name is Mac. He had a classic vintage car for sale so I paid him a visit to see the car. I saw the car, drove the car and then we talked. In our conversation, I discovered that Mac too had lost a son. We shared a abit of our stories and talked about our faith. I didn’t buy the car but I came away with something better.

The visit reminded me of my dear friend Albert Long. We had also met by chance and wound up great friends. Albert wrote about how God works in our lives in his book, "It was just a coincidence". Albert is the only athlete in ACC history to letter in four sports while at UNC. I was privileged to be asked by his family to be a part in a video honoring his life. Albert knew and taught me about recognizing how and when God works in our lives.

As followers of Jesus, we share a divine connective tissue within that binds us with one another. This connective tissue can immediately turn a stranger into a friend. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, more captivating than witnessing the joy and testament of a fellow believer. I had that validation last week in my time with Mac.

Just so you know …… here’s how God works. What I thought was a routine trip to meet a stranger about buying a car was really a connection with another who shared so much of what is really important to me. No Albert, it was not just a coincidence.