A coincidental meeting? I think not.

The description of this blog refers to the book, When God Winks at You, by Squire Rushnell. Ron Bachmann of Georgia recommended it to me.  It is only appropriate, therefore, that the first entry in this blog should be about how God winked at both of us. 

Other than a Canadian trip as a child, I had never traveled outside of the United States, that is, until May 30, 2010. I traveled to Costa Rica to attend an international conference on medical tourism. 

Since January 2005, most of my working hours have been devoted to United States health care reform.  As a result, I met many articulate, experienced individuals who became my allies and upon whom I could rely for good research data, and advice. 

When I say “met” I must qualify the term. Most often, the “meeting” occurs via the Internet, usually by e-mail.  On occasion, it might mean a phone call.

I had met Ron Bachmann at a brief meeting in Minneapolis during the fall of 2006.  We did not speak to each other.  Afterward, all of our meetings took place as I read his work, and apparently, he read some of mine.  A few emails went back and forth.  But I saw in Ron Bachman’s work the results of a sharp and informed mind. I knew I wanted to know him better. 

So it was that on the third evening of the conference, I left the meetings early and walked to the dining tent.  I sat down, sipped on some juice, and watched people while reflecting on what I had learned. 

Several minutes later, I heard someone approaching from my right.  As I turned I saw two men walking up to my table.  “Is anyone sitting here?” the first man asked.

As I began to answer him, I looked at his name tag. “Ron Bachmann!” I exclaimed.  He looked in my name tag: “Dave Racer!” he exclaimed. 

I flew from Minnesota to Costa Rica. Ron had traveled from Georgia.  Neither of us knew the other would be there.  Most certainly, we did not expect to meet. Actually, I doubt that either of us had given the other thought. Yet, there we were shaking hands in person for the first time.

Now, you might call this coincidence. I have come to choose another term.

But the story is not done yet, not by a long shot.

During June 2011, I faced a difficult decision concerning my next project.  Since it had to do with healthcare reform and using the Internet as a medium, I consulted with many different people, one of them is Ron Bachmann.  God winked at me again that day.  For I discovered that Ron Bachmann is more than a health care reform expert: He is my brother in Christ.

Since Ron had already launched his own Internet health reform website, he had a great deal to tell me about it. And he did.  He was quick to share with me access to some of his own network of like-minded reformers.

But beyond that, Ron shared great ideas with me, ideas based on Christian faith and the Word of God, and from his own experiences. He recommended three books for me to read, including When God Winks at You. (Buy one for yourself.  It is encouraging stuff.)

People of faith should be sensitive to these unique incidences (not coincidences), and it is perfectly appropriate to describe them as the hand of God.

If you stick with this column, over time I will be sharing many more stories that are, to me, quite astonishing – examples of how God has winked at me time and again.   

While you wait for my next story, start taking notes about your own.  I want to read them. Maybe I will write about them, too. Meanwhile, pay attention!