It's a small world isn't it?

 I have a Faculty Commons friend, John B, whose wife, Steph has a brother Tim. Tim was a youth pastor near the University of Alabama. Tim married a UA alumna named Shelly, and after several years moved to Sumter, SC.

Across the Atlantic, I have a Cru friend, Courtney, who grew up in Sumter and ministers in Roma, Italy. During my recent mission trip to Roma, Courtney related this story.

One sunny summer day Courtney is visiting her family in Sumter and takes her kids to a local park. She marvels that the park is almost empty, but there are two women nearby chatting.

Courtney overheard a few words from the women and is surprised to hear a conversation about Christianity. Courtney politely enters the conversation.

The lady speaking, Shelley, relates a story from her undergraduate days at the University of Alabama. She recalls hearing a professor speak on the topic of "How to make better grades and have more fun." Courtney recognized the title of this talk because she had heard it a few years earlier given by Phil Bishop to some students in Rome, Italy.

Shelley goes on to say that for some reason that Christian talk really impacted her life. Furthermore, after I contacted Shelley, she told me that she knows my daughter Kelly. They lived together ~ 97-98. Shelley heard the talk the fall of her freshman year, which was 1994.

Most likely the speaker who had given that talk was Dr. Rae Mellichamp or me.

So I have just heard a story in Roma, Italy about a talk given years before in Alabama, told by an alumna who is sister-in-law to one of my friends.

It's a small world isn't it?

Here's a little more to the story as related by Shelley.

The lady I was chatting with at the park has two high school sons who she homeschools. She was sharing that they struggle with getting their work done and being able to be involved in other activities. So, I shared about the how to make better grades and have more fun talk because it really helped me order my schedule in college! I told her I bet we could find a YouTube video of the talk ! Then this other mom (Courtney) whose kids were playing near by interjects that she is on staff with Cru and that they still give that talk, we ended up having a great conversation about the Lord

And just an added cool part of the story ,my friend and I had invited another lady, who is not a believer and has young kids, to the park. A few days later I was talking to her and she was really amazed how God could use a talk about making good grades to connect people. She said, I didn’t really think God cared about small details in our lives like that! Which of course has lead to some great conversations. She has not become a believer but we can see the lord working!