You know that phrase “I was just in the right place at the right time”? 

Well, I do believe in being in the right place at the right time, but I believe it’s more than “just.”  I don’t believe in chance meetings but rather divine appointments.  Furthermore, I believe some of the most influential moments for our life unfold without our even knowing in the moment how important they are.  Often, we don’t realize how significant something is until we reflect back on it, bringing it into focus as time passes.

This belief of mine comes from a passage of scripture I routinely reference:

A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

And I love the way The Message translation reads,

We plan the way we want to live,
    but only God makes us able to live it. Proverbs 16:9 MSG

I am such a planner.  Like color-coded calendar, itinerary-vacation-maker kind of planner.  There’s comfort and peace in having a game plan in place, but this passage reminds me that while making plans can be a good thing, being flexible to allow the Lord to direct and redirect my plans is an even better thing.

This passage also defines those moments I could have never thought or imagined—for both the good and the bad. 

When God orchestrates what some chalk up to a chance encounter, I’m standing back in awe of His creative hand at work.  On the flip side, this passage also helps me to define, and even find value in, the not-so-pleasant moments of day-to-day living.  You know, hang-ups in your health, revolving home repairs, and those work moments when you take the brunt of a problem you didn’t create.  This scripture convinces me that I’m being made even in moments like those.  It’s a position I’ve taken to approach and make sense of the senseless.

Questions and kids just go together.  Children are naturally inquisitive.  Imagine how many times you’ve been in the car with a child, answered their burning question only to be followed with another.  Typically the revolving door of whys ends with “I don’t know; that’s just the way it is.”  Still yet, it doesn’t keep the child from their wondering and pursuit for answers.

As I’ve been working on my memoir I’ve revisited many questions I asked when I was a child.  How could I make sense of a tragedy?  I certainly tried.  However, the answer of “It was just an accident,” wasn’t enough for my mind and my heart to move forward.  I needed understanding.

I share about pursuing that journey in my book. 

You see, I know how all-consuming loss can be, and I know the pain that comes from it.  I also know what some people don’t like to admit—pain never goes away.  Never.  We just learn to live with it.  This presents the challenge of:

Finding joy and reason for life in the light of loss and tragedy. 

A few months back I was connected with Donna Harris, the host of Constantly Under Construction, a podcast bringing messages that are right up my alley—inspiration, joy, strength and encouragement.  I believe my participation to share for this podcast was more than a chance encounter, more than just being in the right place at the right time.  Just as I believe you reading this post right now is more than a coincidence. Either you or someone you know needs to hear the words of this beautiful conversation the Lord orchestrated between Donna and me.  Maybe you’re thinking, I’ve heard her story before, but let me encourage you, these two podcasts are much, much more than my story—it’s a message.  The same messages you can expect when my book makes its way to completion and I pray, to your heart.

• Have you faced loss and grief?  This podcast is for you.

• Have you made plans that aren’t coming to fruition?  This podcast is for you.

• Have you dealt or deal with depression?  This podcast is for you.

• Do you question God’s plan for your life?  This podcast is for you.

• Do you just love a good story?  This podcast is for you.

My favorite time to listen to podcasts is on my drive to and from work.  It’s the rare occasion I am alone in the car for an extended period of time.  Whether you listen to this on your drive, or maybe even in your quiet time, I pray the words spoken work as a planting of something good or a watering for what is already there.

Your life is more than being in the right place at the right time.  God has planned and purposed wonderful details in your story—even in the hard parts.

Love and blessings to you!

*just click on the image below to access the podcasts in iTunes.  

Part 1 = episode 17 on 02.08.2018

Part 2= episode 18 on 02.13.2018

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