Our Plan Is In His Hands

We say it a lot that, “your greatest strength is your greatest weakness”. One of the strengths that Brandon and I are talking about when this quote comes up a good bit is how I love to have a plan. Not only do I love to have a plan, but I like to stick with the plan we have in place. 

There was a time when we were at a friend’s wedding and Brandon looked at me before the bride and groom left and said, “Ya ready to go, babe?” I could not believe he was being serious. My gut instinct was to share with him that not only were the bride and groom still at the reception - but the bride had not even tossed her bouquet. In other words, there were fun moments yet to be had. I will give it to Brandon that he had a headache, it was getting close to his bedtime, and he did not know many people at the wedding since it was mostly a group of my college friends. Yet all along, the plan was to stay until the bride and groom left, so I could not believe he had even brought up the topic of leaving early. {We ended up talking it through and staying until the bride and groom left, but I share this story as an example of a time when his more “spontaneous” colors were shining through and it really ruffled my feathers}

I realize that it’s a blessing that I can acknowledge this “love for having a plan” earlier on in life, rather than later. Brandon and I have traced back to our roots of his more spontaneous ways and my planner ways. Not only do I personally love planning, but it’s a huge part of my job. I am constantly looking at calendars and planning for upcoming events. With looking at the calendars for the year - day in and day out - come the questions sometimes of, “I wonder when we’ll get to go on a missions trip together” and so forth. We have prayed for a couple of years to go on a missions trip together. The planner instinct in me would love to see that happen - but there’s a true peace that comes from knowing that God’s timing is always perfect. Another thing that comes up every other day (if not every day!) is someone asking one of us, “Have you thought about when you’ll start having children?” I like to respond to this by sharing the fact that I truly had no idea when I met Brandon that right around the corner I would become his wife - I honestly could not have written the story better myself. In learning from our own testimony with that part of our lives, we have learned to confidently put our plans into His hands. Brandon has been a huge support for me to learn to let go of always having things planned out, and relaxing in taking one day at a time, and letting God order our steps (Proverbs 16:9).

The other day I was reading in my devotional, “Come Away My Beloved” by Frances J. Roberts. The day I was on was appropriately titled, “One Day At A Time” from the Matthew 6:34 Bible verse that says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Here is an excerpt from the devotional that I want to share with you: “Nothing daunts your Father. Nothing can restore the past and nothing can bind the future, but today you may live in the full blessing of the Father’s smile. Hold to His words, for they are like a nail driven into solid wood. All else may seem shifting and transitory, but His Word is firm. It is a rock that shall not be moved. It is a firm place to stand.” 

When I read these words, something struck a deep cord with me. It was like I had been digging and then found gold. I have heard for so long that in a changing world, Christ is the one thing that does not change... “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). For some reason though, when I was reading these words the other night - the Lord really began to show me in a whole new way that it’s not a bad thing that I like a plan. In fact, the plan that I can count on NO MATTER WHAT is that HIS WORD is firm and unchanging. It was revolutionary. That is my plan for life - trust in HIS WORD. In a day where it seems like every other text is good and bad - I need something that is not going to change. From the dear friend that just got engaged to the dear friend that just had a miscarriage - how comforting to know that the Lord is my ROCK (Psalm 18:2). 

Closing statement from the man of the house: “ This is a topic that comes up a lot. I grew up where it wasn’t uncommon to see plans change. Whit grew up where it was rare that she experienced the plans to change. It’s been neat to talk through this and see how we can learn from each other and bring our plans as a couple to the Lord.”