When I was in my mid-to-late-twenties, my church put on a musical production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” It’s the story of Joseph straight out of Genesis but set to modern music. As a teenager, Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and then later thrown into prison on false charges.Some people say they’re having a bad day, or even a bad year, but Joseph was having a bit of a bad life.
There was a time when I could relate. It was more than a tough season or a rough patch, and like Joseph, it started during my latter teen years.
In the midst of this dark season, I did something so unfathomably inexplicable that I am still at a loss for any kind of sound explanation as to why. But for whatever reason, I decided to audition for the upcoming production at my church – even though I hadn’t danced since I was twelve years old.
The story of Joseph has always resonated deep within me. God delivered Joseph from the dungeon so that Joseph could save the people of Egypt from a severe famine. And when Joseph was later reunited with his brothers, he said to them:
“And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
– Genesis 50:20, NASB
in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
– Genesis 50:20, NASB
There’s just something about this verse that lingers . . . in my thoughts, in my spirit. During the months that I rehearsed with the cast, I prayed that someday the words of this verse would be true of my life too.
God is still in the business of redemption, restoring wholeness to the lost and broken.
Joseph saw the bigger picture. He caught a glimpse of earthly sufferings from heaven’s perspective. God had a plan all along.
I sang this story.
I danced this story.
Week after week.
Month after month.
Rehearsing this story gave me hope.
The whole cast became friends.
And I didn’t know it at the time, but a few years later, one of those cast members would ask me to marry him.
The Joseph Show. It’s how we met.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the story of Joseph – the story of broken dreams and long-awaited redemption – is what brought us together. God had a plan all along.
I can now say the words of this verse, and mean it.
What brought you and your spouse together?
4 comments:
That's a great story! I met my wife on a blind date.
That is a beautiful story!!!
We met at the "Library"...a college bar. lol His parents would call and his roomate would say,"he's not here, he's at the library". His mother would say' "Oh he is always studying so hard!"
D.J. This gave me goosebumps! I love it!
I met my husband at an event in Chicago. I was on a date with someone who introduced us. I thought...nice guy; and that was it. Five years later I ran into him at church; two years after that we ran into each other again and he asked me out. Three months later we were engaged and three months after that...married! The best part of the story is: when I walked away from him at that first meeting, he turned and silently prayed "God that is the kind of girl I want to marry/someone just like her" ...little did he know it would actually be me seven years later! Now when we have a disagreement, I say you really shouldn't argue with me; you prayed for me! HA! His reply: "no, I prayed for someone 'Like' you!"
(even better...when we first met he was a Christian but I was not...so he had to wait a few years until God did a work on my heart!)...God knew!
Great story of God using circumstances to bring good things into our lives.
How we met? I was walking across our college campus (I was a junior) and saw Cheryl walkng with another junior classmate. I thought she was a high school student. I asked my friend later who the kid was visiting the campus. "She's not in high school. She's a sophomore transfer student." That got it all started :).
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