God Works In Mysterious Ways.

A Beautiful Story – God Works in Mysterious Ways

This is a true story, shared by Pastor Rob Reid, reminding us that things happen for a reason.

The New Pastor’s Journey

A brand-new pastor and his wife, excited about their first ministry, were assigned to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn. They arrived in early October, full of hope and determination.

The church, however, was run-down and in need of major repairs. Undeterred, they set a goal to have everything ready for their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked tirelessly—repairing pews, plastering walls, and painting. By December 18, they were ahead of schedule, nearly finished.

A Setback Just Before Christmas

But on December 19, a fierce storm hit the area, bringing heavy rain for two days.

On the morning of December 21, the pastor returned to the church, only to find his heart sinking. The roof had leaked, and a large section of plaster, about 20 feet by 8 feet, had fallen off the wall behind the pulpit.

He cleaned up the mess but felt defeated, wondering if they would need to cancel the Christmas Eve service. On his way home, he noticed a local business having a flea market to raise funds for charity and decided to stop by.

A Perfect Find

There, the pastor spotted a beautiful, handmade ivory-colored crocheted tablecloth. It had intricate designs and a cross embroidered at the center. It was just the right size to cover the damaged wall.

He bought the tablecloth and returned to the church.

A Divine Appointment

While putting up the tablecloth, snow began to fall. At that moment, an elderly woman ran towards the church, trying to catch a bus. She missed it, and the pastor invited her inside to wait for the next bus, which wouldn’t arrive for another 45 minutes.

She sat quietly in a pew, unaware of what the pastor was doing. When he finished hanging the tablecloth, the pastor stood back to admire it—it looked perfect, completely covering the damaged wall.

Suddenly, the woman walked down the aisle toward the front. Her face went pale.

“Pastor,” she whispered, “where did you get that tablecloth?”

The pastor explained where he had found it. Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes.

“Could you check the lower right corner?” she asked. “There should be initials—EBG.”

The pastor looked—and there they were.

The woman was stunned. “I made this tablecloth 35 years ago, in Austria.”

A Story of Loss and Hope

The woman shared her story with the pastor. Before World War II, she and her husband lived a comfortable life in Austria. But when the Nazis came, she was forced to flee for her safety. Her husband was supposed to follow her, but he was captured and imprisoned. She never saw him again and assumed he had died.

The pastor offered to return the tablecloth to her, but the woman insisted that it remain in the church.

The pastor then insisted on driving her home. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and had come to Brooklyn that day for a housecleaning job.

A Christmas Miracle

On Christmas Eve, the church was filled with people. The atmosphere was joyful, and the music and message stirred everyone’s hearts.

At the end of the service, the pastor stood at the door to greet the congregation. Many attendees promised to return.

However, one older man stayed behind, sitting in a pew, gazing intently at the tablecloth on the wall. The pastor approached him and asked if he was okay.

The man asked quietly, “Where did you get that tablecloth? It looks identical to one my wife made years ago, before the war, when we lived in Austria.”

With a trembling voice, the man explained how the Nazis forced his wife to flee, and though he had promised to follow her, he was captured and imprisoned. They lost all contact, and for 35 years, he never saw or heard from her again.

A Reunion to Remember

The pastor, overcome with emotion, asked the man if he would allow him to take him for a ride. Together, they drove to Staten Island, to the very apartment where the pastor had taken the elderly woman just three days earlier.

The pastor helped the man up three flights of stairs and knocked on the door.

When the woman opened it, the greatest Christmas reunion imaginable took place—a reunion 35 years in the making.