“God who orders our steps; here’s to You.” The party raised their glasses in a toast. 

Twelve years earlier, an old friend called me. 

“My marriage is on the rocks,” he said, “I don’t have a place to stay.”

 I lived alone, so ... “I’ve known you for 30 years, Jeff, why don’t you move in with me?” 

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said.

He stayed two years. It worked out well. He started a real estate office. I became a realtor and took advantage of the divine setup. God healed his marriage and Jeff moved out.

I continued to prosper in his office. Then he sold the business to another realty franchise. The sale included me.

Now I functioned as a “showing agent” showing houses to prospective buyers for the selling agents like Kim. One of her clients required several showings to find her dream house. She laughed out loud during one of those occasions. It ignited something in my spirit.

The client brought her roommate along to the next showing.

“Are you a Christian?” asked her friend.

“Yes,” I said, “I believe Jesus rose from the dead.”

I learned my prospect with the beautiful spirit believed too. My interest soared.

That night, The Holy Spirit nudged me, “Ask her for a date.” This is foreign to a seventy-year-old, long out of the game and resolved to never get back in it.

I hedged like a teenager asking a girl to the prom. What if she says no? What if she’s seeing someone? What if she laughs at me? I’m too old! What am I doing? But a bigger force inspired me. I stoked up my courage, fantasized a speech, and waited for the next opportunity.

Thankfully, Kim ordered another showing. “Here’s my chance,” I thought. “It’s now or never.” But stage fright paralyzed me. I almost peed my pants.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for,” I said. And she left.

She purchased that house. Showings ceased.

“I blew it, God, I’m sorry!” I felt like I missed a divine appointment.

Three weeks later, Kim texted; “Can you do a final walk through for me?” Wow!

This is never given to a showing agent. I looked at the address: Woldhaven Drive. “Oh my God!” I shouted, “That’s the house! You’re giving me another chance.”

With Navy Seal courage, I walked the dream lady through the house concentrating only on my speech. I’d rehearsed it at least a million times.

“Congratulations on your new home,” I said. The event was concluded. She was walking out the door… again.

“Just a minute,” I said. I took a huge breath and covered up my official Mk Reality ID badge.

“OK, we’re off the clock now, this is personal.”

I started to recite my lines: “I think you’re a very interesting person and I think I would like to get to know you. Would you consider having coffee, or breakfast or maybe lunch with me sometime?”

“Yes!” she said, immediately.

My eyes bugged out. Oh Lord! What do I do now?

A year later, I married this wonderful woman. At the wedding reception I looked back on the steps of the Lord.

“Jeff, would you stand please,” I said to the full room. He did and I invited him to remain standing.

“Jim, owner of Mk Realty, would you stand so everyone can see another one of the steps of the Lord.”

I asked Kim to stand also, and then the friend who came along and introduced the issue of faith that opened the gate of possibility.

“Friends,” I said, “The Bible says, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” Those steps stand before us now. If not for Jeff, Jim, Kim, and Joyce W, we wouldn’t be here tonight. How could I have known twelve years ago, when Jeff said, ‘My marriage is on the rocks…’ it was the first step to something this wonderful.”

Then I proposed my toast.

What step are you on today? May we never minimize the significance of daily obedience to God in little things. There are no insignificant steps in His path. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:7).

We now live in that house. I call it bliss.

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