Another Sunday story

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
         Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Today was a day filled with God's providence but I'm gonna back up a bit to last night.

As I left work, a very dear friend of mine was on my heart.  I didn't put her there, but she'd been a burden on my heart off and on all week; for what reason I don't know.  Last night, though, I just told God that there is only one woman who can be a burden on my heart and that I really needed Him to take that from me.

This afternoon, she called me out of the blue.

After some prayer, I called her back.  I'm well aware that God's no means no and I wasn't tempting fate; for some reason I just felt that it would be all right to return the call.  I'm pleased I did because God in His providence let me see a bit of the why things worked out the way they did.

God really does have a plan for all of us and us being together wasn't the best plan for either of us.  My friend is where she needs to be and I'm so happy for the blessings God has given her.  My friend is close to her parents, has her own apartment, a full-time job that has benefits, and is trusting God who provided all these things for her.   The things God is providing in her life are those things she needed and the lessons she's learning in her life are what our God has deemed best for her.

 I'm overjoyed for her that God is blessing her with those things.  She's growing and is strong in faith.  She told me tonight she's right where she needs to be; she has goals and plans for the future, and is excited about life!  She's not dependent on anyone but God these days and that's such a wonderful blessing and such an inspiration.  She's trusting God and God is working in her life and I could hear the change in her demeanor.  There wasn't an ounce of uncertainty in her voice.  She was as confident as she could be.

She asked about my life and although we hadn't spoken for going on a year now, I told her it was exactly the same as it was last year.  I too believe I'm where I need to be, at least for a bit.  We didn't talk much about it.  We spoke of our children and I told her that I still work long weeks.  We spoke as friends do and then we said our goodbyes.

I came across this today and I thought it was worth sharing:


“Remember this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels.
 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
 I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’
 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned, that I will do.
            Isaiah 46:8-11 (NIV)

Much like the story I shared about the woman named Ginger who I heard about on the radio, if it's God's plan then if I fight what's going on in my life, I'm fighting a battle I will never win.  We sang I Surrender All today in church.  All means all, and in that all, I had to learn that my will was part of that all.

That's a bunch of all, ain't it?

God really knows what's best.  I was already convinced of that and I'm so grateful He let me see some of what He was doing in someone else's life.

And as for me, I'm at peace.  I have an incredible story about prayer that I'm thinking about telling you.

Oh, one more thing.  I tried to publish this and it didn't go.  I have a rule about this; if I hit publish and it doesn't publish, then you don't read it.  It's a good rule, trust me!  But then I looked at my Facebook page and at the top of the news feed were part of the lyrics from I Surrender All.

We'll give this one more try!