moments from heaven

My co-worker (and Pastor of a church in NYC who i'll refer to as PC) just returned from an hour and a half "coffee run."

But there's a Starbucks on every block in New York! Why the heck did it take so long??

Well, in Starbucks PC noticed a guy sitting at his own table, reading The Shack. (PC and I have spoken many times about this book and about how life-changing it has been for many, including people close to us.) So PC made a comment in passing to this guy of how good a book it was.

The guy responded, "Do you know much about it? Because i've got a lot of questions."

And thus began an hour long conversation between them about the book, Jesus, Christianity, and other such topics. PC has a gift for engaging in natural conversations with people about these topics, never getting into "debates" or seeking to "convert" but rather hearing the person, getting to know them, and addressing their needs in love.

At the end of their time together, no major conversion took place. The gentleman did not declare himself to be a Christian. (But is "on-the-spot conversion" the point? I don't think so.) Rather, he left with a sense that he was heard, with a greater understanding of Jesus and with much to contemplate. This conversation may perhaps serve as a mile marker as his journey continues onward.

I love it when God gives us moments from Heaven like this.