Alpha | God at WorkAt Sherwood Park Alliance Church, we often hear stories of how God moves in ways we never expect. Sometimes, it’s through a conversation, an invitation, or even a last-minute change of plans. When we make ourselves available, He opens doors we never saw coming. This is one of those stories, shared by Laurel Kirchner, about how a simple step of obedience led to something life-changing. A number of people in our life group decided to use the ‘Through the Bible’ in a year program on You Version. I joined in and was delighted to see that Nicky and Pippa Gumbel were writing the daily devotionals. As I was reading the devotionals, I was reminded how much I loved their passion for evangelism and how much I enjoyed Alpha when I facilitated a group before. I reached out to Pastor James and he told me that they already had enough facilitators, yet they would welcome my involvement anyways. I told him that I did not want to be involved if it meant that he had too many facilitators. As it turned out on the day that Alpha was beginning, he had some facilitators unable to attend and needed me after all!This is where the story clearly becomes God's story. He placed a lady at my table with plans in mind. We were able to connect that first night and ended up talking with another couple from our table who also who attends SPAC on Saturday nights. We told her that she would be welcome to sit with us if she wanted to come to church on Saturday nights. She did come to the next weekend's service and sat with my husband and I. I was thinking it was a little awkward that I had invited a guest on the night that I was assigned on the prayer team to pray under the cross. After the service was all over I told her about my responsibility and said it would be back afterwards. Moments later this very courageous gal walked across the front of church auditorium and asked me to pray for her. It was the weekend that Jeremy preached on the simple gospel. She had responded to the simple gospel message and wanted to receive Jesus as her Saviour. I repeated the simple gospel to her and asked her if she had ever heard that before and she said, "No." She was delighted to have someone pray with her through the salvation prayer. Later that evening we ran into Pastor James before we left and he was able to encourage her, welcome her to the family of God, and pray for her. We also know she has a daughter-in-law, and the mother of her daughter in law (who both live in BC) praying for her. The Bible she brings to Alpha was a gift from them. I texted her today to ask permission to share her story. This was her response: "Yes, you can definitely include me in that. Kinda warms my heart! The moment I walk in I feel a lot of comfort. Big hug on my heart." Alpha is a big hug to her heart -- now if that doesn't warm your heart you need to come to Alpha!So neat to see God at work!- Laurel Kirchner God is always writing stories of transformation, and Alpha continues to be a space where people can ask questions, explore faith, and experience His love. If this story encouraged you, maybe it’s time to take the next step—whether that’s joining Alpha, inviting a friend, or simply making yourself available for God to use in ways you never imagined. Who knows what He might do next?