Changing Direction

I love that this journey with Christ sometimes, often has unexpected twists and turns. The challenge and delight is taking these turns even when you can't see what's around the corner. For my own sake, I wanted to think back and document some such turns in my own journey, remembering how faithful God has been at each one.

Senior Year High School: Plan = pursue science, leading to career as Ob/Gyn...Turn = Follow the unexpected propulsion toward music.

University: (Meet husband with similar giftings and passion for music). Plan: logically, we will head into careers in Opera...Turn: We want to get married and be responsible, so we'll go into the business world.

Family: Plan: I've never seriously contemplated children. Turn: Pregnant before 1st anniversary.

Career: Plan: We're establishing our family, and husband is establishing himself in stable career. Turn: The Lord pulls husband so strongly toward ministry, we cannot shake it (try as we might...)

School: Plan: We already went to University; surely we're done with school... Turn: Nope, we're heading to Bible College.

New Ministry: Plan: I am resident director, husband is director of admissions at college where he is also studying; this is a great ministry with an awesome multiplication factor - this is God's plan for us. Turn: Nope, 4 years in, God is calling us to local Church ministry...in the U.S.

Local Church Ministry: Plan We minister in Creative Arts; makes sense, we studied music in University. Turn Haha... the Lord adds Youth ministry too, and completely wraps these teens around our hearts.

And now, a recent corner I've come to, and am presently turning, though I can't see what's on the other side...

Teaching Music: Plan I have taught music for 10 years, as a means for providing a necessary second source of income for our family. Turn After 10 years, a sudden release from the Lord, and a challenge to trust Him, not my own skills, for the resources we need; and a sudden challenge to invest myself wholeheartedly in my family, in music and in volunteer ministry alone.

So, here I sit today, with a wonderful and God-fearing husband, three fabulous children, years of investing in lives accumulating, many years of teaching now behind me...and a road of even greater trust ahead. Had I not taken those turns, where would I be? And so I turn...trusting in His steadfastness, believing in His grace and expecting the unexpected. I plan to stop making plans.