I am not by nature a patient person, but over the years God has taught me a very valuable lesson, and that is to wait on Him. Whatever I do in life I must do in God’s timing, so that my life runs in the direction and timing God has determined is best. As I wait and listen, I find God will place certain people and opportunities in my path for that very moment that He says, “Go.”

Maybe you too have read those wonderful stories of “coincidences” that have saved peoples’ lives. You know the ones, the missed train that wrecked, or the off-duty lifeguard swimming next to the man having a heart attack. I never see those events as coincidences but rather as God’s providence and blessings to us. So, I wait on God’s timing, that I might be wherever He directs me at the proper time.

I would love to be Superwoman and to fly around saving others from tragedy, but that is not in my capacity. What might actually happen in God’s plan is that I can share my love of God to another who is in the same location as me so that a conversation might happen. Our God is a very personal God seeking out souls in His own timing.

All that to say that my husband Neil and I are finally going on a vacation that we have been wanting to take for several years. Things have not “fallen into place” for this trip – coincidence or God’s direction? Absolutely God’s direction for us to wait until the right time.

Several years ago we visited a friend in Tucson, and while planning that trip we considered visiting the Grand Canyon. We couldn’t fit the tour into that trip, but it has been at the back of our minds ever since. We actually were thinking about taking the train to Tucson, but that year a large portion of the track was being reworked.

Over the years we have talked loosely about this adventure, but we never found the right time to go. This year again the train trip entered our minds while considering the Grand Canyon, and we investigated that possibility, but the cost was beyond our budget. You can be assured I have been praying about this tour over the years. And each morning I seek God’s will for us that day.

My reading time increases in the darker days of winter, and I wanted some light reading, so I chose an author recommended in a blog by another Christian author I enjoy. The only book in the library by this author was called “The Great Divide.” I had no idea what it was about, but upon reading it found it was set in the Grand Canyon at the apparently famous El Tovar hotel. Ah, God’s timing at work.

The story was interesting, and I may or may not follow the author. But the book and the grandeur of the location exclaimed therein was certainly enough to make my desire to go to the Grand Canyon perk up again, and now with specific sites I want to see. Naturally I started investigating trips again. I spent one afternoon searching group tours but found absolutely nothing that would include the specific spots I now wanted to visit.

Neil took up the search the following morning and came up as empty as I did. We were calling it quits for this year when I decided to do one last quick search on my phone while Neil was on the computer. A tour group that had not been in any of our previous searches popped up. I gave the name to Neil and went back to my Bible study.

Searching deeper into the website, Neil finally was getting excited that this might really be the year we vacation to the Grand Canyon. The dates worked out, the price was reasonable, the itinerary included even more than we had wanted, but definitely had all of the sites on my wish list.

And the one Sunday we are on the tour it appears to be the only day we have a late start, so that Neil and I can hopefully attend a church service before the group moves on. Coincidence? Never. God’s timing is absolutely perfect.

And now my prayers are including all those on the tour whom we will meet who may already know Jesus as well as those who may be interested in knowing our Lord. I am praying that from start to finish we will be honoring God on this exciting vacation that we’ve been waiting to take for years. Patience in God’s economy always pays off in great joy. It is good to wait on the Lord.

Editor’s note: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.