In less than a month I'll be a senior in college. I had a plan for my life before I graduated high school - and nothing was going to get in the way of it. I knew exactly what school I was going to attend and graduate from, what major I was going to pursue, and what city I would teach a class of preschoolers in. I was going to graduate early, and I was going to meet the guy who I would someday marry in college. By having a specific plan in place, it made me feel like I was ahead of everyone else and completely in control of my life. I had read the verse Jeremiah 29:11 countless times, so I knew that God had His own plan for my life. But I figured since I had mine already, wouldn't He just go along with it? I knew what I was doing... and He knew that too, right?
Actually, no. You may think you know exactly what your years in college are going to look like, but let me tell you something that might help you out - forget your plan. It's not going to happen the way you want it to. Because even though you think you know exactly what you want and when you want it to all happen, the Lord has a better plan in place. And it's certainly better than anything we could have come up with.
There may be a lot of moments when you question this truth. Trust me - I do every single day. I have had more unexpected twists and turns in my life than I ever could have imagined. And to be honest, I have absolutely hated some of them. I hadn't planned for any of them to happen, so how am I supposed to deal with all of them? Most importantly, why in the world would God throw this at me? Doesn't He know that He's messing up my plan that I so perfectly created in my head?
Some of these "adjustments" to your plan have been positive ones. But a lot of them are probably ones you find yourself wondering why they had to happen. I've transferred twice and am now attending the school I vowed to never to go to, graduating a semester later than I had wanted, still living in Iowa, working the same two jobs I've had since freshman year, and my husband is still nowhere in sight. The only thing that has stayed the same is my major, and it's not even at the school I wanted to be at.
With everything seemingly falling apart all around you, you don't even realize all of the beautiful things God has placed in front of you.
Transferring schools and going on unexpected trips during the summers has allowed me to feel at home in three different states and make friends from all around the world. I have so many people to miss and places to go back to because of God's constant redirections. Sometimes it's hard to accept these changes, and you may often feel inadequate or "not ready" to exit the comfort of your tiny little plan bubble. But just know this: God would never lead you astray from the plan that He has for you. Through every moment - the broken ones and the beautiful ones - He is right there beside You, leading the way.
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid
For the Lord your God is with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
