Plans

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope.” 
-Jeremiah 29:11

Two weeks ago, we received a call at 9 o’clock at night from my husband’s stepmother. An unusual time for her to be calling, we knew something wasn’t quite right…

“Your dad’s not doing too well…I’m not sure how long he has…I can’t tell you whether or not to come, but…”

When the phone rang the following morning at 7am, any indecision about if we should go, vanished. Now the question was…how? We had no “extra money” for such a long road trip. So we prayed. And we asked others to pray for us to find a way…we needed a PLAN…God’s plan, not ours.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
-Jeremiah 29:12

We decided that we would delay paying some bills in order to go. It would be very tight (especially with gas at $4 a gallon), but we would go.

And then God…
…He heard our prayers and delivered a gift to our doorstep that filled us with HOPE wiped away our worries. A large monetary gift from dear friends that only God could have sent to us…and he did. Thank you, Father God.

We left the next morning, anticipating a 10 to 12 hour drive ahead of us, with snow in the forecast. We hit snowy roads an hour or so from home…our driving slowed and arrival time was pushed back. Better to be safe, than sorry…

180 miles from home…we pulled over to refill our wiper fluid. As my husband hops out of our truck, he discovers a giant staple jammed into our front tire. “Hey, this is from my work!” Wait…what?! You mean your work that’s almost 200 miles from here??? Oh LORD…You carry us safely in the palm of Your Hand. Thank you, LORD, thank you…

Another delay as we get our tire repaired…no, replaced…times two!…*cha-ching! cha-ching!*…Ouch!

At this point we realized that the gift from our friends just doubled in value. Without it, we would have had to turn around, having only enough money to get us home. But God had different plans for us. We continued on, completely aware of God working in our lives. Thank you, LORD!

During our long drive, we had been concerned that we might not make it in time to see my father-in-law again…that God might call him Home before we arrived. Why do we worry?? Did we not just see God’s amazing Provision? Did we not see His miraculous Deliverance? Did we not? We did…

We did make it to see him…in fact, his fever dropped and his mind cleared while we were there. We were able to enjoy precious time with him that we couldn’t have asked for, yet God delivered. My God is so good…

“You will seek me and find me,
when you seek me with all your heart.”
-Jeremiah 29:13

Thank you, Father God, for your Perfect Provision for our family. Thank you for giving us your Peace and Love so abundantly. Thank you for carrying us through this time, protecting us, comforting us. Be with our earthly father until You call him Home.
In Your Son’s Precious Name,
Amen.