Our 6 a.m. UBER ride culminated in prayer with an Iranian refugee, who chose Christ over Islam. He said we were an answer to his early morning God-request, yet he was the answer to ours.

How we missed the tiny, but boldly visible, cross hanging from his rearview mirror, I will never know.  As we entered the airport and said good-bye to our new friend and brother, that cross became our family crest,

“We will meet again in a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone there will represent all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And we will be standing together, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing…” (See Rev. 7:9 MSG)

Let me back up just 2 days and take you on a UBER journey.

UBER can be defined as

adj. designating a person or thing that exceeds the norms or limits of its kind or class

In just 2 days, I experienced several UBER drivers who far exceeded the norms. They were professional and personal. All 4 of our drivers represented different fractals of God’s Kingdom and they are living proof that the Kingdom of Heaven touches earth through the hands and feet of God’s children in their everyday, ordinary lives!

^” So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 MSG

Driver #1 was the consummate gentleman. Joyfully opening our doors and taking our luggage, he ushered us into the vehicle. Little did we know, one of the sweetest conversations would carry us like a song to our hotel. He pointed out wonderful things in the city we were visiting and proceeded to answer our every question about his personal life. He told us about his grown kids and the 20 + years he traveled the United States as a truck driver, taking up photography along the way. Our new friend also spent several years in the military serving our country. We could not thank him enough for his selfless years of laying down his life for the life of another. Sounds a little like someone else I know (Jesus)!

We concluded our trip encouraging the “hometown hero” to write his story and share his pictures.  He already had a name percolating, “The World through a Windshield”.

Can’t you just see it?

We could and we will be on the “Google” lookout for this treasure, knowing it will be birthed in God’s perfect timing.

As he pulled in, opened our doors and retrieved our bags, our UBER (far exceeding the norm) driver expressed his sadness over missing the opportunity to hear OUR stories. What a humble gracious man, a man I belive we will get to tell our stories too in that wildly crowded, colorful and crazy-fun Throne Room. What a way to kick off our 2 day Jesus journey! FRACTALS OF HEAVEN!

UBER IS SO KINGDOM.

UBER driver # 2 was hilarious. His thick accent added color and texture to our ride from the get-go. We got lost a couple of times; GPS is not always right you know.

A little lost time was no loss of time well spent!

He was from Serbia and had thousands of “5 star” ratings. (We know that because he told us so:) Laughing like we were all old friends, he said, “You can’t hurt me no matter how you rate me.”  There wasn’t a hint of rudeness, just a joy and a confidence in who he was and his ability to get the job done.

Finally making it to our destination, UBER driver #2 (exceptionally confident and competent) left wakes of whimsy, whetting my appetite to learn more about his Serbian homeland! FRACTALS OF HEAVEN!

UBER IS SO KINGDOM.

UBER driver #3 was a mom on a mission. She pulled up to help roll us out of the fish house in her sporty minivan, decked out with car seats. She was the mother of 5 littles and her UBER side-gig provided extra income, adult conversation and a little sanity to her primary occupation of raising up the next generation.  She was quick with one liners and an expert at multitasking, as she carried on friendly conversation, while navigating like a boss.  UBER driver #3 (easy-going and exceptionally equipped) dropped us off at our hotel, leaving marvelous, mama, minivan magic in her wake.  For some reason, she was the perfect combination of Reba McEntire and Jen Hatmaker all rolled up into one –  FOR THE LOVE…

FRACTALS OF HEAVEN!

UBER IS SO KINGDOM.

UBER driver #4 was the icing on this Jesus-joyride cake! I briefly introduced you to him in the opening to hook your heart at HELLO!

When I travel with this particular friend, we strategically put on our “love glasses” from takeoff to touchdown. We bathe these excursions in prayer, asking God to give us divine appointments and He never ceases to amaze us. We have heard the hearts behind many a tattoo, prayed for new sisters in Christ upon exiting planes, seen the face of God in Costa Rican prisons, held the hand of Christ in the tiny palms of Kenya, eaten lunch with angels at a local high-school and wept and worshipped alongside women, as we wholehearted sought the heart of God together.

In the predawn hours, after an exhilarating 2 days of watching God do what only He can do, we got the abundant overflow of our God showing-out one more time by giving us one last glimpse of His extravagant love and relentless pursuit of His children. Punctual and pensive, yet warm and welcoming, UBER driver #4 awakens our day. We feel the Holy Goosies of God’s Spirit, as He fills the car through our new brother’s quiet, but confident, confession that he is a believer in Christ. He followed one family member to the U.S., so that he could follow his Jesus unapologetically.

As we pulled into the airport, UBER drive #4 asked if he could give us a testimony.

Of course we said YES like 2 kids in a candy shop.

“Before I got your pick-up this morning, I had an elderly couple and the husband had a really bad attitude. Then I had a pick-up that made me ride around for 10 minutes, so they could see me out the window and then they were mean.  So I told God, ‘You are going to have to give me some encouragement right now or I am going back home and going to bed.’ And then I got your pick-up. You were an answer to my prayer.”

I am teary just typing that.

Curbside, with all heads bowed, we prayed together and thanked God for His perfect timing. We praised our Heavenly Father for His divine encounters and asked Him for continued protection and strengthening of our brother, as he boldly grows in his faith, leaving the radiant light of Christ in his wake. FRACTALS OF HEAVEN!

UBER IS SO KINGDOM.

I do not tell you any of this to make much of me and my friend.

I DO tell you this to make much of MY GOD.

UBER drivers are just one tiny microcosm of the God-colors surrounding us everyday. I pray you are encouraged and inspired to ask God to open your eyes on a daily basis to FRACTALS OF HEAVEN everywhere you go.  HE IS FAITHFUL and when He said,

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

HE MEANT IT!

I witnessed the Kingdom of God in my UBER encounters.

Where will your next encounter be?

I would love to hear your stories.

Where do you see FRACTALS OF HEAVEN on a daily basis?

How would you fill in the blank?

______________ IS SO KINGDOM!