Evidence of God's Grace

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ~ John 10:3

My life looks more like a fairy tale than a story book.  The latest chapter is a thriller.  The only way to explain what is happening is to look at the evidence of God's Grace.  This is the Reader's Digest version of the last year:

1. The banks approved our California short sale during the worst economic times we have seen since the Great Depression.
2. We sold most of our possessions at a favorable price before our relocation to Iowa.
3. Some Iowa friends offered their home to us while they were vacationing for the Winter.
4. My tennis friends from California gave me a care package that had exactly what we needed to move across country.
5. A California friend donated his air force jacket when he discovered I didn't have the right attire for Midwest winters.
6. Despite damage to my credit, we found a builder willing to work with us.  He sold us our dream home with terms that fit our needs.
7. Our down payment for our Iowa home appeared out of thin air when my wife received notice she was eligible to cash out her retirement after she left her job.  The check arrived just in time to close escrow.
8. A new employer arrived the same month we moved to our new hometown and interviewed me the day after I applied for a marketing job.  I am now part of a team of caring, compassionate employees who want to make a difference in the community we serve.
9. All three of our children are discovering their passions.
10. We have enough daily bread...that is enough resources to get through each day, enough friends who care about our well being, enough Divine assistance to get through any obstacle, and enough Faith, Hope, and Love to live happily ever after.  This is the fairy tale God wrote long before I was born.

The best lesson I learned is that I was the antagonist in my own story.  God's grace was always there.  He is a patient God.  As I look back at the past year of my life, the evidence of God's grace is overwhelming.  His timing is perfect.  He knows my name.  He knows your name.  We are not the antagonists, we are His people.  We are a part of His story.  There is no end.