Have you ever felt like you didn't know where your life was going, or what you were meant to do? Have you ever thought that you might never reach your destiny in life? Have you ever felt unworthy enough to even catch a glimpse of your destiny? The last question is one that most often comes to mind for me. Among all of the important, rich, beautiful, successful people in the world why would I be one that would be worthy of seeing the destiny that God has in store for me? This is a tough question to ask, and an even tougher one to answer honestly. One of the most popular Bible verses that is taught is Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." God has promised His people that He has a plan and purpose for our lives, so why are we so quick to dismiss the thought that our destiny is something we are supposed to reach...within THIS lifetime? Of course, there are eternal blessings that we can not even begin to imagine, but God placed us here on Earth for a reason. In the past, every time I have thought about the destiny God has for me I never considered being able to reach it no matter how badly I wanted it. I didn't believe in myself, and I didn't think that something so special could be waiting for me.
Until I became a mother I had never realized how true my parents were when they told me how special I was. I never understood that their words had so much meaning. Now that I have the most beautiful and precious daughter I could ever ask for, I understand the meaning of those words. Your parents love you with all their heart, no matter how many fits you throw or bad decisions you make. For those whose parents were not around, hopefully you have someone in your life who took the place of your parents, and you understand what I am talking about. Now....think about the love your parents have for you and how proud they are of you. Imagine how much it would be magnified if they knew what the rest of your life looked like, and the true potential you really have to influence those around you. God has this ability because He created you! He planned out your life before you were even conceived, and He has an even deeper love for you than anyone will ever understand. To know that my God loves me so much, even though I have made more bad decisions than I can count, it gives me so much peace.
God loves us so much and He wants us to seek our destiny out and reach for it! I have absolutely NO idea yet what my destiny is, but I can't begin to explain how much things have changed since we moved to Washington. I had this pull in my heart to move here, and I knew that we would miss out on so many things if we delayed it any longer. It's almost like I had to get here in order to finally feel at peace. I miss so many things and people in Amarillo, but I wish I could show everyone what we are experiencing here! God has shown me that His promise of a plan for our lives is well beyond our understanding right now, but it is there! His promises are true, especially about providing for us. I never thought that we could go without jobs here and there several times over and still be okay.
I had an interview yesterday morning at Western Washington University. I applied for a position with the Internal Auditor's Office and the Attorney General's Office within the university. This job was put in my lap without me seeking it out, God placed in in my lap and told me that THIS was the opportunity He wanted for me, but I had to be patient. All the signs pointed there, and man was it hard to be patient!! Staying in God's word and spending time with Him was the only way I was able to hear Him loud and clear but it was so important to me that I not miss what God wanted for me that I stuck with it! I found out the same day that I got the job and start Monday. I don't want to miss God's plan, I don't want to miss His blessings any more. This new journey has been the most rewarding experience. I can't get enough, and feel like I need to praise, sing to, and pray to God all day every day. God promised to take care of us, but we had to put in the time and dedication. To see that happen right before my eyes is amazing. I don't want it to stop, and I will do all I can to make it NOT stop. My family deserves this, I deserve it, and I'm finally realizing that God wants us to reach our destiny just as much as He wants to show it to us.
I challenge you to spend some extra time this week reading God's word. I know it's awkward and weird to just start reading your Bible without a place to start. So.....if you want a challenge, start in James. You won't be sorry.
