The Right People at the Right Time!
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
This past weekend, I traveled back to my home state of California with my dear friend, Ilonka, for the America’s Future Summit. If you don’t know her, Ilonka is remarkable. She’s a trafficking survivor, an incredible singer, a beautiful mother, and my dearest co-worker. But beyond all that, she is an influential voice in my life.
About a year ago, I asked her to create a quick video for one of our social media pages. I expected something short and encouraging, but what she sent reached deeper than I ever imagined. It was just 40 seconds of her praying—praying for the people who had hurt her, and praying for anyone watching who had been wounded too, that they would find the strength to forgive and even pray for their enemies.
That video hit me like a lightning bolt to the heart. At the time, I was wrestling with so much—my husband had just stepped into sobriety, and while his healing journey had begun, mine still felt stuck. I hadn’t yet confronted my past, or the enemy who had caused me so much pain. That prayer was the beginning of my own breakthrough.
And here’s what I realized: God knew exactly when to bring Ilonka into my life. If He had introduced us five years earlier, I probably would have missed it. My heart wasn’t ready then. But in that exact moment, in that exact season, her obedience intersected with my brokenness—and God used it to set me free.
That’s the thing about God’s timing. Friendships aren’t accidents. Encounters aren’t coincidences. God weaves people into our lives with precision, not randomness.
What I love most is the courage it takes to walk that out. Courageous people risk everything—because they know God can use even the smallest act of obedience to change someone else’s entire story. Ilonka didn’t know what that video would spark in me, but she had the courage to obey. And because of that, I found the courage to forgive my dad, to rebuild a relationship that the enemy had stolen, and to step into a freedom I had never known.
If there’s anything I took away from this incredible weekend, it’s this: God is the master chess player. He moves people like pieces, shifting the board, bringing the right ones in at the right time—so that in the end, we win. We win with Him, we win with friendships, we win with family. But ultimately, we win in the Kingdom of Heaven.
My Prayer:
Lord, thank You for being the master of our story. Thank You for placing the right people in our lives at the exact time we need them. Give us the courage to walk in obedience, the humility to forgive, and the wisdom to see Your hand in every relationship and every season. Teach us to trust Your timing, knowing that with You, we always win.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Download the Devotional
Want to take this deeper? I created a printable devotional to go along with this post, The Right People at the Right Time..
Download the Devotional Here]
