He Was About to Leave, But God Had Other Plans
From Pride to Surrender: A Man Receives Jesus by the San Diego River. What began as a bicycle ride along the San Diego River became a divine appointment with a man carrying grief and sorrow. Six months earlier, he said he would never have listened, but that day his heart was ready to receive Jesus Christ.
10/13/20262 min read
During my West Coast ministry journey in March 2026, I was riding a bicycle along the San Diego River. It reminded me of my Cycling4Jesus travels years ago. I was enjoying the beautiful day when I decided to stop under the shade of a tree. Little did I know that the Lord had another divine appointment waiting for me!
While I was there, I met a man who began talking with me. He was friendly, and as our conversation continued, he opened up about the grief he was carrying after losing someone very close to him. There were tears in his eyes as he shared his story. I could see that he was hurting, and my heart went out to him.
We began talking about faith and the goodness of God. At one point, he told me that he knew I must have faith because I was out there by myself without a security team. I smiled and told him that I was never alone because Jesus was always with me! That opened the door for us to talk more about the Lord.
Then he told me something remarkable. He said he had been getting ready to leave, but for some reason, he felt he needed to stay. He didn't understand why at the time, but as we talked, it became clear that this was no ordinary encounter.
He went on to say that if I had met him six months earlier, he would have told me to take a hike! He admitted that he had been too proud to listen to someone talking about God. But now things were different. He had been through a difficult season, and his heart was no longer hardened the way it had been before.
What a difference a prepared heart makes!
As I shared the love of Jesus with him, he was receptive and willing to listen. That day, he humbled himself before the Lord and received Jesus Christ. What a beautiful moment to witness!
I gave him a Bible and one of my God Loves You Gospel tracts so he could continue learning about Jesus and growing in his faith. He was spiritually hungry and grateful for what he had received. Before we parted ways, he thanked me for taking the time to talk with him.
I couldn't help but think about how perfectly the Lord had arranged that encounter. I had simply gone out for a bicycle ride. He had been about to leave but felt he should stay. And there we were, two people brought together at just the right moment.
That is what I love about following the leading of the Holy Spirit. We don't always know what God has planned for our day, but He knows the people we will meet and the hearts that are ready to receive Him. Sometimes ministry happens in a church, sometimes at a revival meeting, and sometimes it happens beside a bicycle path under the shade of a tree.
One bicycle ride. One divine appointment. One precious life surrendered to Jesus.
I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to share His love with this man. It reminded me once again that no matter what someone has been through or how far away from God they may feel, the love of Jesus can reach them right where they are.
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!