Friday (Re) Focus - Jeremiah 29:11

"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. Jeremiah 29:11

We use this verse for all sorts of situations and circumstances. We SAY "God knows best" or "God gives us what we NEED" but what does that really look like?

I'd like to share one example from my own life....

My sister in law, my younger brother's wife, lives about 2 hours from her parents now, but she goes home for everyone's birthdays. Her entire family gathers to celebrate holidays, birthdays, graduations, births, engagements, and other life events. This extends beyond her immediate family to her aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

I was envious of this for a long time. 

My family, consisting of both sets of parents and my siblings, nieces and nephews, are more of the attitude of "if you need me, I'm here." Please understand, I've never been denied anything I needed from any of them. I've never been turned away when I wanted to visit. I do not feel disconnected from them or anything like that. We just all have our own lives. We are loosely connected rather than tightly woven.

I wanted to be tightly woven. 

Had I grown up in a tightly woven family that gathered to celebrate every life event, it would have been nearly impossible for me to fully embrace my life and role as a pastor's wife. It would have caused conflict in my marriage if my heart's desire was to travel 6 hours (12 round trip) to go home for every family life event.  I would not have been able to be fully involved in our church family if I consistently missed church events because I was going home... or would have had a nasty attitude over being forced to choose one over the other. 

God withheld the close knit family I wanted from me.

He did this, knowing that being woven so tightly to my biological family would hinder my ministry and my place (and peace) as Calvin's wife. 

I am so thankful that God reveals this and so many other things to me. My history with God helps me trust Him more. The longer I know Him, the easier it is to trust that His way is best...

...especially when what I want to have is not what He wants to give. 

Much love and big big hugs, 

K