
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
Proverbs 27:9 NASB
The email came, just before the first weekend of October. Rainer Bantau, a fellow Christian blogger, was coming to Oklahoma City for a conference. Would I like to get together for coffee?
“The Devotional Guy wants to meet me—in person?! “I said to my wife, only half believing. After all, Rainer has been blogging twice as long and also has twice as many followers.
What if it wasn’t really him, but an AI powered imposter? I sent back a tepid reply and waited.
Friday came and Rainer posted, with pictures from inside the church–where he said he’d be. It was legit! I emailed back the next morning and agreed to meet him for lunch.
Just after the 11:30 AM break, my wife and I lingered in the church parking lot, when out of a side door walks Rainer, looking just like the pictures from his blog. 🤳
We walked to a local food court for lunch, where a heartfelt time of fellowship ensued.
Rainer told Nancy and me the biggest reason he’s drawn to express himself through art and writing: leading a major ministry to the homeless, every day he sees the needs of people meet the transforming grace of God.
Yet, this juxtaposition is both blessing and burden, as there’s only so much of Rainer (and his co-workers) to go around.
Man, can I relate!
As an educational administrator, it often seems like everyone wants a piece of me. And sometimes there’s nothing left to give.
But in Rainer’s tired, but determined eyes, I saw that the grace of God is enough.
Always. ✝️
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
Thank you, Devotional Guy, my brother in Christ. And thank you, kind reader, for dropping by my little blog today.
🙏❤️ prayers and love.


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