Nov 8th, 2023: An Unexpected Conversation
This had never happened to me before. I was waiting for my flight home from Winnipeg yesterday when a young man approached me out of nowhere and asked me:
"Would you like to take a shot with me?"
"A shot? This is not a good place to talk about taking a shot," I replied.
"Not that kind of shot, a shot of whiskey I mean," he explained.
"No thanks, I don't drink when I fly. It doesn't make me feel good. Thanks for asking though," I told him.
As our conversation continued, I learned that he was on his way home from two weeks of physically demanding work in Northern Manitoba. His days were long, and he was running away from a difficult personal situation as he had gotten someone pregnant and was unsure of what to do. He talked about his fear, apprehension, and reservations about getting married to the young lady and becoming a dad. He had considered asking her to have an abortion but didn't feel right about it.
I didn't say much because I realized that he needed to talk. He eventually stopped and told me that he didn't expect to share all of that. I reassured him that it happens to me often, so he didn't need to worry. He then learned about what I do and asked me for advice.
"We all make mistakes in life, some more serious than others. Running away from our responsibilities and avoiding doing what is right won't help us experience healing and forgiveness. When we know in our hearts and are convicted by God about what we need to do next, we should pray for courage and go through with it," I shared with him.
He thanked me for taking the time and making an attempt to connect with him. I asked him whether I had hit the mark, and he said he would call the mother of his child to have a conversation about how they could care for their child without getting married.
The snow was coming down, wet and heavy. However, my spirit was light. God is good.
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." - Acts 3:19
