The Christophers: Seeing God in Unexpected Places

Tony Rossi,

Director of Communications, The Christophers’

“Have you ever tried on a pair of eyeglasses and had them make everything look blurry? That’s because the prescription wasn’t right for your particular vision. Our perception of the world can also be blurry at times. We go through periods when life is hard, and God seems distant or even absent. But if we make a concerted effort to view the people and circumstances that surround us through the lens of faith, we may discover God in unexpected places.”

That is the opening paragraph of our Christopher News Note “Seeing God in Unexpected Places.” If you’re not familiar with News Notes, they are pamphlets on a variety of practical and spiritual topics that The Christophers publish 10 times a year and send at no charge to those who subscribe. Like all our media work, we consider Christopher News Notes to be “food for the soul,” and, in fact, they have been a mainstay of our organization since our founding 80 years ago.

Discerning God’s presence in the world and in our lives is not always easy, so that’s why we decided to explore the topic. Consider this story about actress Annie Lees, who took a job entertaining fans between innings for Minor League Baseball’s St. Paul Saints in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One day, she began talking to an older man in a nearby seat. She could tell he had memory issues, so she chatted with him for an hour, reported Katy Read in The Minnesota Star Tribune. Lees recalled, “After the game his daughter comes up to me. And she was emotional. And she said…‘My dad has Alzheimer’s, and for you to stand there and talk to him was so amazing. Don’t ever stop doing what you’re doing.’”

Months later, Lees was working another Saints game when the same man’s daughter approached her. The daughter said, “I’m so happy to see that you’re still doing this. My father has since passed on, but we will never forget what you gave to him that day.” That comment set Lees on a new path.

Earlier in her life, she had developed an addiction to alcohol and drugs. She finally got help after realizing that God had a better plan for her that she wanted to discover. Following the incident with the man with Alzheimer’s, Lees mentioned it to her pastor, who asked her if she’d ever thought about going into ministry. Since Lees loved listening to people share stories about their lives, she felt drawn to becoming a chaplain.

That is the job/ministry she now holds at Catholic Eldercare, a local facility that houses seniors with dementia and other medical issues. She sees God’s presence in the people she serves, noting, “It’s a…particular time in people’s lives. They’re coming to the end of things…I think what’s so beautiful about it is honoring them and helping walk them home.”

Think about it. Lees had a chance encounter with a man at a baseball game that set her on a new course in life. So, maybe it wasn’t a “chance encounter.” Maybe the Holy Spirit was moving her in a particular direction. But she still had to respond positively to it—which she did.

Consider the ways that God might be guiding you in your own life. They may not be obvious, but with contemplation, prayer, and discernment, you too might find God in unexpected places. If you’d like a free copy of “Seeing God in Unexpected Places,” you can email mail@christophers.org or call 1-212-759-4050, ext. 241.

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For free copies of the Christopher News Note SEEING GOD IN UNEXPECTED PLACES, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org