When One Door Closes...Another One Opens

You hear this phrase all the time, when things don't work out, or when you hit a dead end.  This weekend, Jake and I hit a dead end - and it is devastating. 

I started looking for scriptures, and asking questions on where to go from here.  I found many verses that helped remind me that there's a plan for my life, and Jake's life, and it's ready to be put into action...when GOD is ready to put it into action.

A co-worker of mine is a youth pastor at a church in the Northwest Georgia area.  I was talking to him this morning about advice on encouraging Jake and myself on what to do next, and how to trust God when things aren't going our way, and he said something I thought was very interesting.

He said that of course there are plenty of verses that encourage you to trust, and to have faith - but the world has taken them and translated them into having faith in the long run.  That in the long run, the plan will unfold itself.  But he said to me that, we can't live in the long run, or we will miss what we are so desperately trying to find.  It's looking for God's plan daily.  It's noticing what happens around you each day and asking, "what is His will for me TODAY?" And the pieces will fall together for the future. He said, God gives you the "what" before He gives you the "how."

He gave me an amazing example, that I already knew, but never thought about before:  when God created the Earth, the very first day he said those famous words, "Let there be light."  But did you know that God didn't place the sun and the moon until the 4th day?  So, he gave us light, he gave us darkness, and THEN he gave us the tools to make that happen.  That's amazing to me.  It's all about finding the will, and then watching for the tools that will make that happen.

I want to encourage Jake so badly, and I have had trouble doing so, because I'm not very good with encouragement.  I don't want to say the wrong thing and make it worse, and that fear usually gets the best of me.  But this was encouraging.  We hit a dead end, our plans have come to a screeching halt.  Now, it is just time for us to step outside of the box, of the direction we thought God was going to take us, and really look for the direction He actually IS taking us.

Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."

It's not about searching for that one door that is open.  Its about looking every day at the things going on around you, and putting the puzzle pieces together so that you will slowly see what God has in store.

Some of the best days of my life...

Spring has Sprung!

My 10 Favorite Things about Spring...

1.  I don't have to pay to get a tan
2. My sun roof
3. Walking along my bridge with the sun shining on the water
4. Getting to walk to eat dinner or to places of entertainment, and not using as much gas
5. Camping
6. A beach trip is just around the corner!
7. Braves Baseball
8. All my cute sunglasses
9. Picnics
10. Pretty flowers

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, Spring is here, and I'm so excited! Aside from the bugs and pollen, I absolutely LOVE the 60-70 degree weather! This will be the first Spring spent with Jake, and I'm sooooo excited for baseball games, and picnics, and fun weekend trips! I have so many plans for my life this Spring (and his too).  Can't wait!!!