When Life Doesn't Go As Planned...

In high school, my friends would always tell me, "You are going to be the first to get married and have children." In my mind, yes...that was going to happen. I would go to college, find the love of my life, have at least 4 children, and glorify God through marriage with my husband. All of this was supposed to happen before I turned 30, because you know that 30 is so old. 

2019 is the year that I turn 30. The things that I thought would be in place in my life are not even close to happening. Yet, the Lord knows the desires of my heart and I trust that whatever His plan is, it is much better than I could have ever planned. I read a short devotional recently that talked about Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is what stood out to me, "Mary had a complete change of expectations for the entire course of her life. In trust, she yielded herself, her dreams, her plans, her very body to the Lord; and then she celebrated in song the privilege of being used by Him in His kingdom plan." How true is this?! I don't know what Mary's "plan" was for her life, but I do know that it didn't involve being the mother to Jesus, the Savior of the world. 

Can I give up myself, my dreams, my plans, my everything to the Lord? Isn't that what He calls us to do anyways? Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." If Christ lives in me, my dreams and plans are not mine but are now His. Whatever my life turns out to be, it should be honoring and glorifying to God. Maybe the Lord's plans are not for me to marry and have children, but to wholeheartedly serve Him without the distraction of a husband and children. "The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction." 1 Corinthians 7:34b-35

I know that the Lord's plans are much greater than my plans. He knows my heart and my dreams. He knows what is best. I have to trust in that and be thankful that He cares for what is best for me. 

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49 

For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And holy is His name."

Luke 1:46-49

Blessings in Disguise

Little did I know that being delayed three hours would bring blessings. As the saying goes, God works in mysterious ways!

Monday evening my plane was supposed to leave the small airport at 7:30pm. The plan was to fly to Denver...then arrive in Houston around 3:30am...get a hotel for the night...leave for Trinidad at 2:35pm. Instead of my plans working out, the Lord had another plan. When I arrived at the airport, I was informed that my flight was 3hrs delayed. Three hours meant that I couldn't make my connecting flight to Houston....(great). I called the airline who promptly told me to change my ticket it would be $900. (Absolutely not!) Then I was told $800!(No thanks!) Finally, we reached an agreement of $0 and found a flight. Unfortunately that flight was leaving at 5:30am. Instead of sleeping in a nice hotel for the night, I stayed awake in the Houston airport. Not much goes on at an airport from 1:30am-4:45am. I knew that if I fell asleep I would probably miss my flight. (For those of you who know me well, I can sleep through anything.) I open my computer and start watching a movie. I notice a woman walking around, she sees me and promptly sits down next to me. (Hmm...what should I do?) So, I decide to talk with her. I listen as she tells me about her grandchildren, job, life in general; we swap stories and photos. She missed her connecting flight because of a last minute gate change, so she was stuck in the airport until 9:30am. (And I thought my day was bad!) I begin to talk about church, missions, and God but she didn't want to hear it, so I decided to just listen and be a friend. We ended up watching "I Can Only Imagine." One of my favorite movies! (I cry every time I watch it, because I am overwhelmed by the power of God's forgiveness and love for us.) Sadly, we were unable to finish. 

Blessing #1- New friend who needs Jesus

Getting ready to board my flight to Houston. (Extremely tired) I do not stay awake all night. I can count on one hand the times that I have had to pull an all-nighter. As I am boarding, I am praying for a window seat so that I can lean on it and go to sleep for a few hours. In my mind impossible...because I had an aisle seat. Little did I know another blessing in disguise was waiting for me. My seat was all the way in the back, walking to the back of the plane, I look up and see a woman sitting in my seat. Confused, I checked my ticket and realized I wasn't mistaken, there was a woman in my seat. I politely tell her that is my seat when she said, "Oh I know! I was wondering if you would take the window seat so I can sit here." (Heart racing, singing praises to God!!) The small things make my God bigger! 

Blessing #2- Window seat...sleep.

Don't let circumstances control how you react. Trust God. Trust His timing. Trust His will. God used my circumstances. Use your circumstances to bring glory, honor, and praise to God, as I have learned! You never know whom you may encounter who needs to know the Lord and look for those small blessings!

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

 How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 

'For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?

 Or who has first given to Him 

And it shall be repaid to him?'

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."

Romans 11:36