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Does it make you crazy anxious when something happens that wasn’t in your plan?
Would you consider yourself a person who adapts well to change?
Chameleons have no trouble changing when necessary! They have the ability to alter their skin pigment based on what’s happening around them. (Thank God our skin doesn’t do this!! Could you imagine turning pink or blue?!)
This happens for a few reasons:
- Camouflage from their enemies.
- To show other animals who’s boss.
- To show surrender.
- To stay warm or cool in the climate.
They’ve got the change thing down pat!
I’ve been called a hair chameleon!! (If you’ve ever seen me at more than one LifeSongs event, you know my hair color is ALWAYS different!)
I consider myself a person who enjoys change…… but only when it comes to my hair!!!!
When it comes to life, that’s another story. I like schedules. I like order. I like having a plan. I like knowing where I’m going and what I’m doing. When things don’t line up with that, I get stressed out.
Recently God has thrown an unexpected curveball.
Over the course of MANY months, God revealed that He was bringing my family & I into a new season, but I didn’t know exactly what that meant right away. (There were lots of praying and seeking to figure it all out!!!!)
For the last 13 years, my husband and I have been a part of our church, & since it started, we’ve been involved. (Think of a ministry within the church, and we’ve participated in it!)
Our extended families go there, friends that have become family attend, & people that me, my husband, & kids have grown up around, are there as well. It’s been who and what we’ve known for all of these years.
Let’s just say that we NEVER EVERRRR thought that God would say move to another church. Towards the end of last year, that’s exactly what God was speaking to my heart.
Let me be completely honest, my husband and I WEREN’T praying about going to another church. It wasn’t even on the radar. There was no offense that happened. There was no ulterior motive. God orchestrated it ALL. I was simply seeking His heart.
Psalm 14:2 (NLT)
“The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.”
Ezekiel 34:11 (NKJV)
“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.’”
It wasn’t what we wanted. In fact, there was push back. LOTS of it! What we’ve known for the last 13 years has been our comfort zone. Comfort zones are hard to leave. It’s painful. But when God says go, you obey. (We didn’t want to be like Jonah!!)
As the direction of this new season of our life started to be more clear, doubt, fear, & worry started to creep in. God kept reminding me of a scripture you’ve heard numerous times: Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“‘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.’”
Too often you read that verse and think it’s YOUR plans that will succeed and prosper. But it’s HIS plans. He has plans for your life! God’s plans aren’t your plans. His ways aren’t your ways.
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
This wasn’t in the plan of JoJo’s life!!! We would’ve stayed at the church we were in until God called us to heaven, but God had something else in mind.
Even though we have no idea what the future holds, His ways and plans are good. We trust that He knows what He’s doing, even though we can’t see the path ahead. (Man, is it hard to be blind??!)
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”