The older gentleman sat at the end of the table talking non-stop to the young girl on her laptop. Paul and I joined the table with our coffees and the intention to get a little work done at the coffee shop.
This sweet man would have none of that–it was important for introductions all around.
Within minutes we were having a delightful conversation with the most charming man. We learned that David and his wife, Rachel, had retired from their business in California and moved to Tennessee. We also learned that he and his wife had been married over 50 years and they were both missionary kids who’d lived in Africa.
When David discovered Paul was an estate-planning attorney licensed in both California and Tennessee he wanted his card. “I need to update our Trust. Can I give you a call?”
Paul and I left in the hopes of our meeting up again.
A Few Weeks Later
We met again at the coffee house. This time David brought his wife Rachel. While Paul met to discuss business, within minutes we learned their daughter was a friend of mine who’d come to a summer Bible study in our home.
Estate planning was forgotten while David shared about all the people he’d been loving on in this tiny community. It was crystal clear this former “missionary kid” had chosen his new “mission field” and we were sitting smack-dab in the middle of it.
David chattered on about the business owners in the town square he called his friends. He loved their willingness to listen to him share about his love of Jesus.
Eventually we made our way back to the business at hand.
David finished explaining what he wanted done with his estate and Paul answered their questions, finally explaining what was left to do on their end, David smiled, “Okay, well, we are going to be in California soon, but when I get back we’ll finish this up.” He grinned again.
A couple weeks later, I saw on social media that my friend, Rebecca, (David’s daughter), was flying out to California. She was reaching out for prayer for her father.
Our new friend was in the hospital.
I ran in to Paul’s office to tell him to be praying, but before the next day was through–David was gone.
I wept.
I told Paul, “I feel like we’ve been cheated. I mean, we just met him.” Paul felt terrible, too.
Weeks passed. Over dinner Paul shared, “I’m meeting with Rachel in the morning and I need you to come along as a witness when she signs her Trust.” It would be a bittersweet meeting this time, not the joyful one we’d shared over coffee weeks before.
When we arrived in Rachel’s home her daughter Rebecca greeted us. What a blessing it was for Rachel to have her daughter Rebecca so close and her happy and busy grandson underfoot. How can you stay sad when an adorable grandchild is around?
China on the Wall
We sat around the kitchen table and learned more about David’s memorial and how over nine hundred people were in attendance–even his pastor from Tennessee flew out for it. What a testimony to the legacy of this man.
We heard about all the ways God paved the way for David to make these days as smooth as possible for his wife. A dozen tiny miracles to encourage her while they’re apart.
When we got up to leave I walked over to the kitchen sink to put away my water glass. Three China plates on the wall caught my attention. Edged in red with bright flowers in the center, they looked familiar. I asked Rachel, “Are these plates special?”
“Yes, they were my grandmothers’ China.”
“Rachel, you have a whole set of your Grandma’s China?”
“No, these three plates are all I have.”
Aren’t these the same plates I have at home? I wondered. The odds were incredibly slim, but I snapped a few photos to take with me just in case.
We said our goodbyes and to be honest, I got busy and forgot to check on those plates. But, something triggered my promise and I went to my cupboard and pulled out my own three red plates.I’d purchased them at a Goodwill in California over a dozen years ago.
My three plates hung on the wall in my kitchen for years, too. All of my children knew these plates well. Except these plates had no special value besides their lovely color and ability to add a little decor to this part of our house.
When I compared my photo of Rachel’s plates to my own I discovered these were the very same ones.
I had THREE of the very plates from Rachel’s grandmother’s China pattern.
My three China plates purchased in Cameron Park, California years ago, then packed and taken 2300 miles to our new home in Tennessee were for such a time as this.
They were meant for Rachel all along.

Dear Rachel, This gift is a tiny reminder of how miraculous our God is. I pray you’re encouraged every time you remember how the Lord LOVES to navigate things like this–to make sure His children know they’re loved. Merry Christmas! Love, Joanne Romans 8:37-39
Is Christmas painful this year? Each time you wonder if God sees or knows what you’re going through, remember this. He loves to navigate the impossible to remind His kids they’re loved.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
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I’m in tears. THANK YOU for taking the time to write this down for us to remember God’s goodness. Can’t wait to share this with my mom and sisters (tomorrow after she opens the beautiful China!). Love to you both. Merry Christmas!
SO grateful the Lord allowed Paul and I the chance to meet your father. We’ll definitely be continuing our coffee date in Heaven. Still amazed at how good God is to bring a little joy to your mom on such a hard first Christmas without her best friend. God says He is close to the brokenhearted –and it’s a promise I believe. xo
Joanne,
You’ve done it again – brought tears to my eyes through your story telling of Gods masterful handiwork. You have a great gift the focuses our eyes back on the Giver of Life!
With love,
Joni
….and YOU have a gift of encouraging your friends. When are you and Ben heading back out here? xo
To my awesome new friend, Joanne. I was SO surprised and delighted to open your gift of these China plates! Thank you for your thoughtful kindness to me! David told me all about meeting your husband, and it was so fun to meet both of you and to discover the connection between you and my daughter. As you said, God does love us and shows that love by directing our lives in the most intricate ways. Whenever I see the china I will remember you and the coffee shop where David loved to go to find people to share Jesus with!
What a neat little miracle for all of us this Christmas. And, what a reminder of how walking in the Spirit (like David did) makes for such an adventurous life. He collected friends for Jesus. What an example for Paul and I. Blessings friend!
I too am moved to tears reading this. David, Rachel and their family are special to me. I love hearing how God continues to shower his love on them. Thank you for sharing your story.
Merry Christmas Tammie!
As longtime friends of Rebecca and Chris and by way of family connection, a relationship with Rachel and David I too am blessed by this reminder of God’s love. Thank you for writing it and putting it down for others I need that reminder and encouragement. This is one of those moments when you’ve giving God glory and others will benefit by it. Merry Christmas to all and may 2017 be filled with new memories in honor of all the ones that have left us and that we love. Praise be to God for his faithfulness to us in sending his son.
Thanks for commenting Sophis, so grateful for your wisdom and encouragement.
What a sweet story! I love this and how God shows us His love and care even in the smallest details ❤️️ Love the McNutt family and I am thankful for the Christmas China!
I wholeheartedly agree with you Michelle!
Thank you Joanne for your beautiful story! You gave my mom a special Christmas gift and a nice memory of my dad!
It was an honor to be a tiny piece of your Dad’s story and your Mom’s Christmas gift this year. Now, do what your Dad would want and make these next years count BIG for the Kingdom. Blessings!
Your beautiful account of our dear friends, Dave and Rachel, appeared on my FaceBook page this morning. Thank you so much for sharing your part in a story that just keeps on going! I love the way God is always in the details, always showing His love for us. All of us in California cried when they left us, but we knew God intended to touch people in Tennessee. Dave was an inspiration to everyone who met him. May we all continue his legacy.
Thanks for your encouraging comment, Kathy. We are from California, too. So, in a way, David was an immediate friend. We had the same homegrown CA roots, with a HUGE love for our newest home, Tennessee. Blessings new friend.