God's Plans

"For 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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Jeremiah 29:11-14


I love these verses of scripture. They are such a word of encouragement to me no matter what circumstance I might be in! Isn’t it great to know that when we seek the Lord with all our heart we will find Him!

Well, I often think of this verse when I think about my friend Leigh and her children. For those of you that may not know, right after Curtis and I got married I helped Leigh and her husband with their two kids while she battled cancer. April 9 marked Leigh’s one year anniversary of her Homecoming and long-awaited healing.

I am thrilled for her that she is finally through with her suffering here on earth and her faith is now sight, but my heart continues to break for those little babies left behind without their mommy. As I said in an earlier post, I believe the Bible is without error – it is whole truth. As hard as these circumstances are, this is part of God’s plan for Lauren, now 5 years old, and Owen, now 2 ½ years old, -- God is sovereign -- and He will use this to prosper them – to give them a hope and a future.

This is hard to understand. After all, it was God who designed a family to have a father and a mother. What’s more, the role of the mother is that to nurture and raise her children. So what gives? The promise I find in this scripture for all of us – including Lauren and Owen – is this: when we call upon the Lord and pray to Him, He hears us; when we seek Him (His nature and His will for our lives) we will find it. But, when our lives are consumed by knowing Him, His will for our lives and reflecting Him to others – He will bring us back from our “captivity”.

This is my prayer for these two children: that they may know Whose they are and develop a strong desire to serve Him – even while they are young. Certainly this won’t bring their sweet mother back. That’s not what God is promising. He’s promising His peace, His comfort, His strength to get through the circumstances of life. He promises to bring us out of the captivity of striving within ourselves and drowning in our circumstances. He is the ability to live above circumstances.

If you would, please pray for Lauren and Owen – especially the week of June 16-20. They will be going to VBS at my church and learning the names of God. What an answer to prayer! They will learn He is Jehovah – Or (the Lord is light and provides direction for His people), Yahweh (the Unchanging One), Jehovah Shammah (the Lord is there), and Jehovah Shalom (the Lord is peace and brings comfort).


They can always use prayer though. (Can't we all!) Lauren also suffers from Cystic Fybrosis -- a disease that currently doesn't have a cure. Lauren also starts kindergarten this fall. Though she looks normal -- the loss of her mother and having CF makes her pretty different from most kids.

Even more reasons for them to learn this at this point in their life. God is there to show them His plans for their life, He will never change, He is always with them to bring you peace and comfort! What a BIG God!

A Woman of Noble Character

A mother plays such an important role in the lives of her children. I am so thankful to God, who in His sovereign plan, gave me my mom. She is such a rock in our family and her faith is one to aspire to. I heard Dr. David Jeremiah read this poem last week and it perfectly sums up my mom.

You painted no Madonna’s on chapel walls in Rome
But with a touch diviner, you lived on in your home
You built no great cathedrals that centuries applaud
But with a grace exquisite, your life cathedraled God

Throughout my life I always knew my mother loved me, but I was more aware of her love for God and her desire to serve Him. When I read about the Proverbs 31 woman, I immediately think of my mom. But the verse that best describes her is Proverbs 31:26, “She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

What a great mother! What a strong faith! What a mighty God!

Stupid Sheep

I have become convinced that I am that stupid sheep I keep reading about in scripture. Sadly, this was a conclusion that I came to rather easily – merely through a surface-look on my life. My husband would probably be happy to confirm this truth.

Let me explain. Over these last few months, I have been blessed to have some great time of communion with the Lord. When I spend time in the Word, the Holy Spirit speaks and I am filled up. When I spend time in prayer, I feel His presence. If you asked me, “Sarah, do you trust God with all your heart?” I would answer “Yes!” But, my actions and thoughts speak something altogether different.

I still fret over the details of life. I pray and still I worry. I “give” the Lord the desires of my heart; yet, my thoughts are still anxious. As L.B. Cowman wrote in Streams in the Desert “Why do I run to this person or that person, when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down to plot my own course and make my own plans? Why don’t I immediately place myself and my burdens on the Lord? Straight ahead is the best way to run, so why don’t I run directly to the living God?”

As I write this, I still can't explain why I do it. Oh, if only this sanctification process was immediate! I look forward to the day when my faith is sight. I must learn to trust and obey now. Trust and obey. No questions, no worries. Just trust and obey. God either is who the Bible says He is or He is not. No in between. His ways are perfect. His timing is perfect. His plans for us are perfect. Therefore, I must trust and obey. Walk where He leads, completely trusting because His motives are perfect.

“My situation is urgent, and I cannot see how I will ever be delivered. Yet this is not my concern, for He who made the promise will find a way to keep it. My part is simply to obey His commands, not to direct His ways. I am His servant, not His advisor. I call upon Him and He will deliver me.” Charles H. Spurgeon

Gulp! Lord, make this true in my life that I would trust, not advise. That I would obey, not direct Your ways. Advising and directing the Lord – what a silly thought, right? But I am guilty of this very sin. Giving things to Him, yet still holding on. Praying my will, my desire – rather than His will be done. Trusting, yet still scheming. Stupid sheep.

Thank you Lord for Your patience while you make my rough places smooth!

**These pictures of compliments of my dear sheep, Laura. This picture was taken of us at our last Bible study meeting! :)