God's Unfolding

"My plan for your life is unfolding before you. 

Sometimes the road you are traveling seems blocked, 

or it opens up so painfully slowly that you 

must hold yourself back. 

Then when the time is right, 

the way before you suddenly clears

 - through no effort of your own."

Jesus Calling (Dec.21) by Sarah Young

Life is unfolding for me (and of course for you as well)...and each fold carefully and slowly undone has revealed to me Someone else is in charge.

These past three weeks have not been absent of tears both sad and happy ones. They've been filled with both the tears of laughter and of heartache. Days started out with consuming fear yet halfway through the day claiming victory for God's miraculous defeat over it. 

God gave me three weeks in Georgia to wrap things up, and while I was doing just that (wrapping), God was unfolding His plan in all the details.  I wish I could sit down with each of y'all and share how God answered this simple prayer for me,

"Dear God, allow me to cross paths with anyone you want me to encounter in these last few weeks here in Georgia."

I had no idea how God would answer this request, but He did in his usual amazing and crazy fashion.  Each encounter showing that God is still in the business of healing and reconciliation and the transformation of lives.

Over these three weeks friends have loved us up, hosted us, prayed over us, encouraged us, housed us, fed us, helped us, believed in us, and celebrated with us. Pouring into our lives abundantly, and we are forever grateful.

I picked up Ava from school on her last day, and she was telling me in the car about all the nice gifts and cards she had been given.  Then she began to cry.  I looked back at her in the car, and she said to me, "Everyone was just so loving to me today." 

Yes! We have been loved so well, and that's why it's been a hard but beautiful three weeks as we leave the South and head for the Northwest again.  God has crossed our path with precious people, and I want to say THANK YOU to each of you over and over again.  Your lives are forever a part of our lives.

We now wait to see what unfolds for us in our new life in Idaho, still with much uncertainty and unknown, but we trust that our five years in Georgia is a vital part of what unfolds here in Idaho.

Today is December 21, and it reminds me of new life.  The day is a symbol of rebirth. It is a special day for me because 36 years ago on this day at the age of six, I met Jesus in a very personal way. 

Our paths crossed, and it changed my life...and I'm forever changed by Him. I'm thankful it wasn't for a short time, but a lifelong friendship that has been on life's path with me all these years.  Sometimes He is walking beside holding my right hand. At other times He runs ahead to prepare the way. Sometimes He has to even carry me because I don't want to go on. Whatever I'm going through on this path - moving, saying goodbye, taking a leap of faith into unknown -God is there unfolding a greater plan than I can see at this moment in time.

As God prepared a way for all of us through His Son Jesus, unfolding His perfect and loving plan to reconcile us to Himself, may we see clearly during this holiday season that God is still in the business of healing and mending relationships and transforming lives. 

May we CELEBRATE the real meaning of Christmas with gratitude in our hearts that God is alive...and carefully and lovingly unfolding our life stories.  

Then when the time is right, we will see clearly...