If I were born in a different age or place I don’t think I could have ever made it! I can’t imagine cooking every meal over a fire or sleeping in a room full of people with lice and chiggers and all sorts of other maladies! So how is it that I am here in this place for such a time as this?
I’m not even a good weekend camper! I would be a disaster without indoor plumbing and no electricity. I am not a survivalist-kind-of-gal.
The thought of putting on a corset and a hoop skirt does have an appeal for about two second!
But no toothpaste or nightly eye cream is almost unthinkable! And I thank God almost every day for air conditioning, seriously! I am a huge lover of indoor climate control!!!
Believe me, my heart goes out to all people in less than happy living conditions. And they are in my prayers often.
But there by the grace of God go I. And that is what I am pondering today.
My life and times have its share of troubles! We all have trying times and situations, don’t we?
I am particularly thankful the Lord created me and put me in this time and in this place!
Do you ever wonder why you are here?
In this space and time?
Do you ever wonder why you were born in your town and state and country and even, family?
It is no accident. It’s all a part of God’s perfect plan. Your life’s plan and mine are so specific and special and filled with purpose. Our existence is NOT random or the result of the cosmos.
Our lives are created by God…
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS Ester 4:14
God has a plan for your life.
A plan for your good. And a plan to glorify Himself and show the world who He is through your life.
If you think about it, we all have a very important and individually specific plan for our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11 says,
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.
But, here’s the thing…
The choice of how we live is ours.
God has given us the choice.
Even though we were all created with a plan and a future we can thwart God’s plan and choose to live our own way. We can choose to turn our backs on God’s sovereign plan for us that was planned out before the beginning of time.
Or we can choose to live a life that fulfills God’s wonderful plan for our lives.
Just think, God knew you and created you with a purpose. The God of everything formed you and gave you talents and abilities and equipped you to work for him before you were even born.
If we choose to follow God’s plan for our lives, He does not promise us that it will be easy.
However, he does promise that He will not give us more than we can handle.
And He does promise that He will be with us.
And He does promise us a huge reward when this life is over.
We cannot follow God’s plan on our own. We need help.
We all are too weak to live the life God calls us to live on our own.
If we choose to live a life following hard after God, a life where we accept the free gift of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, God will give us a powerhouse in the form of the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit leading us we CAN live our God-destined life because
WE WERE MADE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!
This week you might like to think about this verse…
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. Jere 29:11
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Thank you so very much for your insight. I totally agree about the AC. Heavenly Father knew that I would spontaneously combust without it. Seriously, I learn so much from you. Thanks so much.
LOL!!! ME TOO!
Thank you for this reminder. We hang onto the fact that the blessings outweigh the suffering. The devil always tells you what you will miss if you follow Jesus but never tells you what you will miss if you don’t.
Hello Yvonne,
I have been your follower for quite a while now. I don’t think I have commented before, but I always want to……..just wanted to let you know I love your style, stories, recipes (I have made!!, yummy (ie: heart handpies!! my Daddy loved them too!) but I truly love your Sunday notes!! They are very special and you share so easily the Word of God. You give me inspiration as I’m reading them. Thank you for your purpose here on earth!! One of my favorites stories of yours was your newly move to Tanglewood and the process that you followed allowing God’s will to lead the way. I am currently seeking his will for what I hope will be a terrific adventure in the near future and closer to my daughter, son in law and my grand boys who I miss! He would need to change a lot of things, but I like and am learning to Dream Big as he is a Big God!! Thank you again for your inspiring words, stay safe and healthy! Many Blessings!!
I hope God really blesses your dream bigger than you could ever imagine, Joanie! Our God is just so marvelous!
Thank you for faithfully declaring the gospel of Jesus. It is life saving to those who don’t know Him, balm for the weary soul that does and encouragement that these crazy times should not deter us from our calling. Thank you.
Thank you for this lovely post Yvonne.
Sometimes, we question The Plan and I know that I should not. My niece’s husband died in his sleep last week, that’s The Plan too. I would like to ask for prayers for my niece that she will feel God’s love during this most difficult time in her life. She just went through surgery for a heart valve two weeks ago. She agrees that God takes us when it is our time.
Hi Patricia, I just prayed for your and your niece and family! God comfort you all!
Hi Yvonne , Such an encouraging post for the times we are all living in . With Jesus it never matters what town , city , state or even country that we are born in , as God’s word declares that we are just sojourners passing through this life . We walk the narrow path with Him , fulfilling His call for us making our way to our true ,family home , Heaven and eternity . I am one who is truly grateful , that He called me from my family to His . A great post .
Hi, Angie I really love the word, sojourner. The Hebrew word carries the idea of going to a foreign land with the intent on returning. We, who are His will return to Him!
Dear Penny,
I hold you all in my heart everyday, along with the firefighters and those who minister to our needs in time of trouble. Sending prayers that this will end soon. So tragic. We need to take better care of our world.
Ellen
Dear Yvonne;
I am in Oregon, in a county that is on level 1 alert, with some places in the county on level 3 (get out NOW). Many people have lost their homes and businesses, dozens of people are unaccounted for, and our air quality is the worst in the entire world. Entire towns are now gone.
I am safe, but ready to evacuate if necessary. It forces you to evaluate what is really important in life.
I would like to ask everyone to keep a thought for the people of the Pacific NW in their own way, be it prayer or positive thinking. We need all the help we can get, and if you can afford monetary help, lots will be needed to try to help people rebuild their shattered lives.
Please hold those who have lost so much in your hearts .
Thank you;
Penny
We will have you in our prayers.
Hi Penny, all of you who are on the Pacific NW all the way down California are in my prayers a lot lately. And so are all the first responders. Please pray, my friends!
Even when we try to “live a life that fulfills God’s wonderful plan for our lives”, we struggle every now and then and, on some occasions for a long period of time. I usually go to mass on Sunday afternoon, to make my weekend a bit longer, and the priest said some of us suffer a lot for things we think we hadn’t done properly in the past and, he added that the only way we have to change it is moving ahead to try and be a bit better every day.
This is the inspiration for the coming week, which will be special, as we are trying to create a safe environment for our students and teachers, too. What I am asking God nowadays is to be able to see the end of the pandemic we are going through.
Huge hug for you and yours from Spain once more. Thanks for the inspiration, it really helps. Take lots of care and stay safe,
Charo
Thank you Charo! Stay safe too!
Thank you for this post. In this time where God has placed me, I rely completely on Him for guidance. Ofttimes I fail, being human, but the path to His door is always there. As you point out, the Holy Spirit is a gift that the Father gave us to put our lives back on track. If only we wait , listen, and ask.
Marilynn
Beautiful timing with this post. With all the wildfires here in California, I am grateful for your words of comfort.