You can make many plans,
but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)
Our weekend plans changed when I opened the email and found we had a free ticket with Southwest. We had received an SOS from Mark’s daughter, Sarah, who recently moved to Florida to work on her doctorate. She needed both “Dad-help” and a little design consultation in setting up her new apartment. We expected to unpack boxes, hang pictures, and find ways to store more stuff than room but instead we listened, encouraged, and waited. Having lived all her life in Tennessee, the enormity of the move and sudden change overwhelmed her. Lonely, unfamiliar with the area, and unsettled, Sarah began to have second thoughts about the whole adventure. Was this decision the right one for her? Confusion and fear replaced the peace she had felt in the beginning. Sarah is not my daughter, so all I could do was pray…and search the Internet for a good local church. Two looked promising but I decided to choose the one closer to her apartment. Clearly, God’s purpose prevailed and was evident from the moment we entered the building on Sunday. It was friendly, great music, the sermon right on, and even a future seminar that met some of her immediate needs. As we sat there, I thanked God for His grace in this time of need. Sarah is still questioning but we left knowing that God has her in the palm of His hand and won’t let go. I reflected on the weekend during the many hours on the trip home. One of the principles I recently learned from Priscilla Shirer in Discerning the Voice of God is “never make concrete plans without leaving room for God to do something different.” I realized that I, too, had to let go of my plans for the weekend of having everything neatly in place. I am a “mission accomplished” kind of gal but, it occurred to me that my true mission was to leave my agenda at home so that God could do something different in all of our lives. Taking time to listen was much more important than unpacking boxes. Ready for a change of plans?