"Providence" has a feeling of being protected or guided safely. The root word being "provide". It means the providence of God. Another good word, similar to providence, is 'kismet'. This basically means the Will of God, but usually is used to mean that something was destined to be and usually is positive or 'lucky', much like providence. "I saw her AGAIN later in the day, and I asked her on a date! It was kismet!" For unexpected good fortune not related to destiny or fate, consider "dumb luck" or "a happy accident". EDIT: I just thought of what might be the best option: "windfall"! A windfall is a sudden 'stroke of luck' that was unexpected. Originally, a 'windfall' meant a fruit that was blown from the tree by the wind.

This is a tough one... It might not be what you are really looking for, but , from a french perspective, the term 'providence' does have a certain meaning of 'unexpected luck' . Hope this helps.