Meeting God in a lake

One of the highlights of our summer trips to Russia is always the one on one conversations we have with people. This past Monday we took a trip out to a lake in the middle of the woods to spend time with some old friends. It was very hot, so the first thing we did was go swimming. While in the water, I (Dan) got into a conversation with a man who had just gone through a very difficult 18 months. His family life is at best, fragile. His faith had been challenged. He was questioning, "Where is God in my life? What are the next steps for my ministry? What does God want me to do? Will he take care of me and my family in our present circumstances? Will he ever heal the pain that I have had to go through?" Talking people through these types of thoughts and questions is what i feel I am really gifted at. These are honest questions. These are good questions to ask. Often, talking them through with someone else's help and guidance can be the path that God gives us to finding answers to these key questions. I did not expect to be treading water for 90 minutes talking with this man, but sometimes we need to take the opportunities when they present themselves. This is part of the fun of working in God's kingdom.
Dan