This weekend Tyler and I had the great pleasure of spending a lot of time with my entire family. Joely came from Portland, The Smiths from Fayetteville, and us from Joplin. We were all brought together by two things: 1. Joel was coming home and that does not get to happen often and 2: We were able to celebrate my parents 30th anniversary. It is not until April, but only seemed appropriate that we celebrate while we could all be together.
I was SO super excited about being at my home church for once, it does not happen very often. Today my father continued through a series on the book of James. James is a great, practical book that I read through often. So many simple principles, so many important principles too. One of the points he made is that we need to make plans with God in mind.
It is no secret that Tyler and I are trying to make plans right now. I was almost comforted while challenged in this thought. Our soul focus while job searching has been God. We have not put hardly any limits on what we want including where we end up moving. What we care about is where God can use us best. We know that if we follow his plans for us, we will be used in the best ways possible and his kingdom will benefit more than if we follow our own plans. I have seen way too many people in my life make plans without God in mind- simply because they can. The more people I see planning around themselves rather than how God can use them, the more I know I do not want to do that. It's not even that I think God can't use us when we don't follow him closely. I think God can and will and does use us whenever we offer ourselves to him. But I think it is key to Tyler and I that we go exactly where he needs us, to do things only we can do, to fulfill a plan he laid out to us. Right now we are looking to him and saying "Where does this take us? What does this mean?" It's hardly about what sounds appealing to us in any way. There is a part of me that knows how scary this is- to surrender ourselves without limits of where we will go.... but the benefit of the kingdom is too great to ignore where he is taking us.
It's great to have a good phrase for what we are doing. We are making plans with God in mind. God is in the center of all of our plans. There is no other way to us, but his way. I think he allows us to make choices, but I know that there is a specific place that we can serve him best and we are seeking wholeheartedly for that place right now.
"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4:13-15
4 comments:
I actually got to be at FCC today too! I love when that happens :) We went to the Stone Canyon site! This message was really great. We can totally relate to the "many plans" in this first year of marriage, so this was a wonderful biblical reminder! Hope your trip home was safe!
You guys are such a great example to everyone about being open to go where God leads you! I know it will be hard if it takes you far away, but God will bless you because of your faithfulness in following his call on your life! Love you guys!!
I love the NLT version of Psalm 37:23: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." God is directing your steps and will put you where you should be!
I will be praying for you guys. I know wherever he leads you He will use you in such a mighty way. You two are an amazing couple.
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