How One Gesture Changed a Life

Story by Keisha Bone

In the fall of 2024, Glenn Allen, pastor of the Three Angels Message church in Danville, Va., and his wife, Natalie, walked into a local IHOP, unaware that an ordinary breakfast would spark an extraordinary spiritual journey. What Allen calls “a rare act of kindness” is a powerful reminder of how God works through the smallest gestures.

As the couple approached the restaurant, a young woman named Jessica Fountain held the door open for them. Moved by her simple act of courtesy, Allen felt the Holy Spirit prompting him to connect with her. Although Fountain declined his spontaneous invitation to join them at church, Allen gave her his business card, offering a listening ear and prayer whenever she might need it.

A week later, Fountain reached out, inquiring about the church’s schedule. When she learned that the congregation met on Saturdays, she was eager to attend. Allen suggested a Bible study first, and soon they met in Fountain’s kitchen. What started as a private study quickly grew into a family gathering, as Fountain’s mother joined. The session was filled with joy and discovery, and both Fountain and her mother committed to attend church the following Sabbath.

That Sabbath, Fountain, her mother, and even Fountain’s bishop joined the service. Allen shared their story with his congregation, highlighting how God’s timing had orchestrated this beautiful moment. Fountain’s thirst for truth only grew from there—she attended every night of the church’s evangelistic series, completed Bible studies in record time and embraced the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, including the Sabbath truth.

On the final night of the series, Fountain made a life-changing decision. She chose to publicly declare her faith in Christ by being baptized, marking the culmination of a journey that had begun with a simple act of kindness at an IHOP.

“Fountain’s story is more than just about a conversion,” says Allen. “It’s a reminder that God often works through the smallest moments to accomplish His great purposes. Her transformation highlights the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and seizing the opportunities to connect with others.”

Allen continues, “A rare act of kindness is a testimony to the power of compassion and divine timing. What began with Jessica holding open a door became an eternal door opened to a new life in Christ.”