I have been waiting for you.

On February 13, 2023, the sun was shining, the air was calm, an unusual warm day, my only plan that morning was to run a simple errand. I intended to leave my house early—around 9:00 a.m.—to pick up a Bible for someone at church. But like so many mornings, my thoughts were scattered. I was distracted, my spirit somewhere between yesterday’s unfinished tasks and tomorrow’s to-do list. By the time I got into my car, it was well after 10, and I arrived at Barnes & Noble Bookstore just before 11.

I found the Bible I needed and decided to linger in the religious section. There is something comforting about being surrounded by shelves of knowledge. I crossed to the other side of the aisle and sat for a moment, quietly admiring the books. That is when I noticed an older white gentleman walking toward me. He had a curious look on his face.

“Excuse me,” he said softly. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” I replied.

“I had a dream last night,” he said. “In the dream, I was told I needed to come here and buy a Bible.”

I blinked. I pointed toward the section he was looking for and said, “The Bibles are just over there.” He nodded and walked away.

The spirit spoke to me and said, “Go help him.”

I got up, walked around the corner, and offered to help him. He seemed relieved. “I’ve never actually been to church,” he confessed, “but I watch sermons online, McLean Bible Church.” We browsed the options together, talking through translations, covers, and print sizes.

Eventually, we found the one he wanted.

As we stood there, he leaned in for a hug, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

He walked one way. I walked the other—heart thudding, soul stirred. I paid for my Bible, returned to my car, and before I could start the engine, I called my friend, Stephanie and broke down in tears. Not out of sadness, but because I knew—deep down—I had just encountered a divine appointment.

When God Rewrites Your Schedule

What if the delay was not a delay at all? What if leaving the house late, getting there at 11 instead of 9, was part of a plan I did not write?

Sometimes we think we are just running errands. But God? He is orchestrating encounters. I thought I was buying a Bible for someone else. I did not realize I was also walking into a sacred moment crafted before time.

That man may never remember me. But I will never forget him.

Because in those five words—“I’ve been waiting for you”—I heard something deeper. A whisper from heaven that said, This is why you showed up today. This is why I nudged your spirit.

Friend, Let This Be Your Reminder

You do not have to have it all together. You do not need a perfect plan. You just need to show up. You never know when someone is waiting on the other side of your obedience.

So the next time your schedule goes sideways, or your plans take a detour, pause.

The divine might be hidden in the delay.

And someone just might be waiting for you.

Sophia Loren Blake