In Florida too

Long before I got here, and even started praying for my stay, God planned for me to meet Aunt MJ. She is my aunt's sister, completely unrelated to me-on the side my uncle married into-but very much my sister-in-Christ. Talking to her made everything real again: God IS here, actively working, even in Florida.
Not too long ago MJ took my aunt to church; it seems to be a perfect act of God to have sent me to Tampa shortly after my aunt's introduction to a whole congregation of "Jesus people." God is persistent.

The day after our whole religious beliefs conversation ordeal, my aunt called her sister MJ and asked if she would help me "sort things out." Tonight, with very little "forewarning" about when we would talk or what all MJ believes, my little cousin hands me the phone and says "its for you." Completely hesitant, I say a quick prayer to myself, and we start talking.

How intricately GOD entangles His children's lives.

Needless to say, I have found another mentor and PRAISE THE GOOD LORD we're connected by more than just praying for the same people; someone solid in Christ and in my Florida family.

I love how much HE cares for us.

On a side note:
I found out from Nana we had a Great Aunt Millie (how wedding-crashers-esc) and my cousins and I decided to keep Nana's family names going; I'm changing my last name to Mazzola and Rach is changing hers to Scafado. Next time I come back, Uncle Nicky and Uncle Tommy are going to tell us stories about my great-grandparents' meat shop. Gotta love the Italians.