God's Got Different Plans

Approximately one year ago, Jordan and I discovered that we were expecting our first child. After taking the home pregnancy test, I cried.  Honestly, they were not necessarily tears of joy.  Instead, they were tears of fear, tears of the unexpected, tears of my plans being changed. You see, in the month prior to finding out we were pregnant, Jordan and I had been seriously praying about international adoption. In fact, we had already done the research: which adoption agency we would like, which home-study organization we wanted to come into our home, weighing the costs. The application was actually all ready to be mailed in, just waiting for a $400 check to be written and sent along with it. We truly believed that this was something the Lord was calling us to do. Our hearts ached for orphan children who had no hope; we wanted to bring them hope and give them a home.

But obviously, the LORD had a different plan in mind. And at first, I wasn’t sure I liked that plan. In all honestly, I loved the idea of an adventurous adoption – despite the financial cost, as well as the time, effort, and energy to be invested. And African children are just plain beautiful. So hearing that our adoption plans would have to be put on hold was a bit of a shock for me. I wasn’t planning on having a child; we were planning on adopting one. Having my plans changed can be annoying at times.

Reading through some Proverbs this last week, I was struck by the truth of this verse lived out in our lives this past year:

“The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

As I look back over the twelve months, I am so glad the LORD has different plans than we do. His plan was to bring Ezekiel into our lives – and what a joy, what a blessing his little 16-week self is! For whatever reason, the LORD decided we needed Zeke first, before any adoptions could take place. Who knows, maybe He’ll lead us down that path in the future. That’s in His hands – not ours. But I am so grateful that the Lord blessed us with Zeke. So, so grateful.

Sometimes, we have good ideas. Good plans. But if they’re not God’s ideas, God’s plans – then they aren’t the best. Remember that next time something doesn’t go the way you planned it out. Just wait and see what the Lord has in store for you – it could be better than you’ve ever imagined.

“'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”  - Isaiah 55:10-11
 “It is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.’” – 1 Corinthians 2:9