Encouragement from the Mundane: A 55-Year-Old Father’s Divine Encounter in an Uber Ride

Fatherhood in the 21st century comes with a unique set of opportunities, and yes, challenges. These challenges are not uniform. They differ based on our backgrounds, life stages, exposure, and personal journeys. But one thing remains constant: fathers need encouragement.

And here’s what I’ve learned encouragement often comes wrapped in the ordinary. It visits through what we consider mundane. That’s why I’m always on the lookout. Not because I’m starved of encouragement, but because I’ve trained myself to notice it. It’s a discipline. A posture. A choice.

Scripture says, “All things work together for good…” That means our task is twofold:

1. To accept that “all things” truly include everything, even the hard, random, and unwanted things.
2. To find the good, even when it’s buried beneath weariness, worry, or waiting.

Now let me tell you about a day when the divine interrupted the mundane.

The Uber Ride That Turned Into a Divine Download

It was an exhausting day. I had spent hours at the library and was ready to go home. At 9:00 PM, I ordered an Uber, with only one plan in mind: get in, rest my head, and keep quiet.

But God had a different script.

The Uber driver was an older white gentleman, hatty, warm, and unexpectedly full of stories. “Where are you from?” he asked. “Nigeria,” I responded. “Oh, my doctor is Nigerian! A brilliant oncologist.” He even mentioned the doctor’s name.

I smiled politely. The conversation was off to a running start.

He went on to talk about health, aging, and surprisingly, death. “I’ve made peace with it,” he said, “but the diagnosis wasn’t even cancer after all. Still, I’m not afraid to die. I’ve lived a full life.”

And then I asked him, “Do you have children or grandchildren?”

To be honest, I don’t even know why I asked. It’s not a question I usually pose, because I don’t believe having children is the only measure of a fulfilled or impactful life.

But that moment felt different. Looking back, the question itself felt divine, like a nudge, a setup for something greater. The conversation that followed didn’t feel random. It felt orchestrated.

His response made me sit up.

“No grandchildren yet. My first child is 25. I had him when I was 55. My second is 22, I had him at 58.”

I was stunned. I’m 55 now. My son is 3, born just before my 52nd birthday. This was no longer small talk, this was a moment. A divine encounter.

When Stories Collide and Hearts Resonate

“My first marriage didn’t produce children. That wasn’t why we went our separate ways, but we eventually did. Then I remarried. My current wife is 33 years younger, and we had our children together. She’s the love of my life.”

I told him my own story, married for 15 years before our son came. His face lit up.

“Let me tell you something,” he said with conviction.
“That child will keep you alive. He’ll challenge you, keep you on your toes. It’s the recipe for long life.”

It wasn’t theology. It wasn’t a sermon. But it was God speaking.

I’ve come to believe that divine encounters often wear the robe of the ordinary. Encouragement is always in the eye of the beholder. I’m not building a theology or a system around this moment. I’m simply saying: it happened, and I chose to see God in it.

I’ve learned over time that the best of life often comes to us through what we casually label “the mundane”:

How did you meet your spouse?
How did you land the deal that changed your life?
How did you meet the person who shifted your entire trajectory?

More often than not, the answer is: on a bus, at work, through a friend, in an Uber.

So no, I’m not forcing meaning. I’m recognizing it. And that is my choice.

I’ve had moments, quiet, private ones, when my mind does the math:
“You’re 55. Your son is 4. How long will you be around?”
I don’t dwell on it, but it comes, the calculations, the unspoken fears.

And then, from nowhere, comes this Uber driver.
With the same story. The same late fatherhood.
And a calm, joyful tone that sounded like hope wrapped in human flesh.

What are the chances, if not for God, in whose hands our times and chances exist?

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong… but time and chance happen to them all.” Ecclesiastes 9:11

Fathers, Are You Listening?

Dear fellow fathers, especially those in our twilight years, I share this story with one message: always be on the lookout for encouragement.

When God sends it, through a sermon or a stranger, receive it. Celebrate it. And thank Him for it.

Because what you are thankful for increases.

This wasn’t just a chatty old Uber driver. This was my divine encouragement. My gentle reminder that I’m not late. I’m on time. That fatherhood is not just my duty, it is my lifeline.

That night, a weary man stepped into a car. But a hopeful father stepped out.

Do not hesitate to share with me similar moments of encouragement. Let keep the baton of encouragement going.

Do have an INSPIRED week ahead with the family.

#50PlusDad
#FatherhoodIsAVocation
#EncouragementInTheOrdinary
#GodInTheMundane