Whatcha’ got behind your back dad?

Story by: Michele Rose

This story takes you back to 2005. My Dad was driving down from Upper Peninsula Michigan to spend a weekend with me in my home in Ohio. The night before of his arrival, I couldn’t sleep. I flipped flopped so much that I had totally given up on getting any sleep. So, I rolled over and turned on the TV. It was a wee hour of the morning. I had no idea what would be on TV at that hour. I just wanted something to put me to sleep. I stumbled upon an infomercial. I trusted that this thirty-minute infomercial would slowly slide me into oblivion. Joel Osteen was on air. I had never heard of him before. I started to listen to what he had to say. I didn’t want to get involved in a lengthy movie or something that would keep me awake. I just wanted something that would help put me to sleep. I figured a boring infomercial would do the trick. But this wasn’t the case. In fact, the more I listed to Joel, the more he intrigued me. I propped myself up with a bunch of bed pillows. It felt eerie. It felt like Joel was talking directly to me. Seriously. The things he said related to what I was experiencing in my life at the time. Goose bumps ran up and down my spine. At the end of his speech, Joel encouraged viewers to order his recent published book: It’s Your Time. I jotted the title and the author’s name on a notepad, and then placed it on my nightstand before I turned off the TV. The moment I slipped under the blankets I think I was finally ready to go to sleep.

When Dad arrived the next day, we sat at the kitchen table full of excitement about seeing each other. We started to catch up with our lives. The minute Dad asked if there was anything new, I remembered watching Joel Osteen’s program. I wanted Dad to know how much I felt the speech had related to me. But first I needed to retrieve my notepad from the nightstand so I could give him all the correct information.

“Wait right here,” I said. “I have to get a notepad.”

“Go ahead honey; he said, I have to get something, too.”

A short time later we met back at the kitchen table. It was apparent Dad was hiding something behind his back.

“What’s behind your back?” I said.

Dad smiled, “I have something for you. But first tell me what you wanted to tell me.”

So, I proceeded to tell him about Joel Osteen. And how I felt Joel was talking directly to me. A huge grin appeared on my father’s face.

Dad brought his hands out in front of him. He held out a book and said. “I bought this for you.”

I accepted the gift. I looked at the title: It’s Your Time. The book written by Joel Osteen.

Some may say this was coincidence, but I believe it was a God-wink moment.

Editor's note. Michelle has written another story for Our High Places entitled "Knock, Knock" It's a great God wink story.

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