God has a plan. The plan might include situations or problems that we don’t want to face. Maybe we can work through them alone, but most of the time we need someone to talk to, someone to encourage us, someone to lean on. As we’ve personally learned in our years of marriage and especially the last couple years, challenges are a necessary component to getting us through this thing called a lifetime. Each day shows us that we have a wonderful family that is doing so much to make life easier for us. We have amazing friends who have proven to be great prayer warriors and continue to lift us up. We have fond memories of years gone by and are trying to spend our remaining days, weeks, months and possibly years together. Above all, we have a Creator who has laid out the plan and is refining us and preparing us for eternal life.

In looking at my datebook for this past week, I see crossed out appointments, rearranged meetings, new dates set, a lot of notes and details that suddenly are changed for some reason or another. We can’t always count on things to go as we plan, but we can trust the plan God laid out for us at the beginning of time. All the trials we would face are in that plan. All the difficulties – the pain and suffering – the losses and successes – lives and death are included for a purpose. Tell that to the one who is going through those things. Don’t expect them to understand what that purpose is. None of us knows what the future will bring, but God does.

We all have days when we want to throw up our hands and scream. There are moments when we lose hope and give up. We are not merely marionettes, led by the great puppeteer in the sky. God has given us the ability to work through problems, the mental ability to figure things out, the physical prowess to labor through and the emotional strength to survive them. Our natural tendency is to plan, to carry out our plan and to achieve what we began. With God beside us, all things are possible – even those we never dared to dream.

So, my week in review. I had a bunch of ups and downs like most of us do. There were difficult decisions, times of sadness, times of laughter, peace and quiet, time to dig in my garden, to see new life and cherish the blessings of God. Take the hand of God. He will take yours and guide you in the path that He has laid out for you. He gives you the strength and wisdom to follow your dreams, to make new memories and to look forward to life with Him in heaven.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV