But God

While driving a few Sundays ago, I passed a painted traffic box on the side of the road that I hadn't seen before. I love that these are being painted in the city. What is really just an ugly structure of necessity becomes a thing of art and beauty. Painted on this metal box was a harvest with two arms rising up from the bottom. It simply stated "Grow Where You're Planted".

I remember years ago after graduating college I didn't want to grow where I was planted. I didn't want to put down roots. I didn't want to stay. But what an incredible thing it is to let your roots run deep. To truly "grow where you're planted"!

If you're fighting where you are, if you're striving to make what you're trying to do work... stop. Pray. Where does God have you? Where does God want you? If what you've been doing for years on your own isn't working. Stop. Pray...

I never knew what God had in store for me when He brought me back to my hometown. After graduating college I was still jobless. I had applied to jobs all across America, but there I was, back in my hometown... wondering "what now?"

But God.

That's a favorite phrase of mine.

I was fighting, striving, resisting, but God had a plan.

I wasn't content, wasn't always joyful, but God didn't give up on me.

"My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

I never would have imagined this life I have now. His thoughts, His ways... are truly higher, greater, and more wonderful than I could have ever planned for myself. I'm thankful God didn't give up, that He gently continued to guide me. Thankful He brought me to where I am today. I can honestly say He is able...

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21