praise for His plan : 15 days

a couple of days ago, i shared with you a piece of the heartache we've felt since learning we wouldn't qualify to adopt lu. and let me just say how encouraged i was by your comments and messages. thank you!

many of you wrote and told me your own "no" stories.  you also told me about how many of these "no's" became a different kind of "yes!"

several of you reminded me of how God works behind the scenes; planning, shaping, preparing and purposing us in ways we can't even begin to imagine.

the verse we posted around our house and have been praying for lu is still the verse in this story. still the verse for her story ... for our story ... for your story, too!

"now to Him who is able to do IMMEASURABLY MORE than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us ... to Him be the glory."  ~ ephesians 3:20

because God is God over all of our stories. no one is exempt from His authorship. some of us find freedom in that and some of us fight that. regardless of how we feel, there's no argument, He is most definitely doing the writing!

this morning, i woke prompted to turn this latest struggle into something positive. i've been sort of wallowing in the frustration and disappointment this month. maybe not on the outside so much, but, i know what's been brewing within. i can see how i've been holding close this "no" and tending to it with some self-pity and even a little bit of bitterness.

i also know when we choose to let these kinds of seeds take root, the end result is often something ugly.

and as i wake on this beautiful spring morning, i am encouraged to pull out the weeds within and ask God to shape even this into something new. something better. something more beautiful.

any of this resonate with you?
anyone else holding some kind of sad or frustrated or bitter seed too close?
anyone else unsure of God's plan or timing or direction?

if so, then i'd love to invite you to join me.
in the next 15 days i'm going to carve out an intentional path: giving God PRAISE for His PLAN.

as spring (finally) unfolds here in minnesota, i will post on my sparrow facebook page scripture and some spring pictures ... reminding us that God does, indeed, absolutely, 100% have a plan.

a plan, perfect and good.

i'm not sure how eloquent the words will be or how captivating the pictures. spring is limping along and we have a busy next two weeks at our house entering into those final days of school. and, as every mother knows, this is the month which rivals all other months for the crazy-busy-nutso title. in addition, we have three graduation ceremonies back to back. yep, all three daughters graduate from something: kindergarten, 8th grade and high school. and each of these milestones bring along a whole lot of "other stuff."

BUT FRIENDS ...

i've got to fit this in.
i just have to.
i must.
i have to take the time to praise Him for His plan.
i don't know about you, but i need that kind of healing.

and that's the desire and direction stirring in my heart this morning. sometimes, even when the calendar is packed and the days are full, we need to carve out a path in obedience.

i need y'all to keep me accountable.

hearing from many of you yesterday reminded me that we all face our disappointments and crushed dreams. we all have heard a "no" which didn't make sense. many of us have made plans only to see them  fall apart at our feet. we've held hopes which have slipped, like sand, through our fingers.

we all know what it feels like to be reeling down a road only to be detoured, diverted, dead-ended.

we all know what it feels like to wonder at the direction.

we all know what it feels like to be unsure of God's plan.

BUT this is exactly where our FAITH must dig deep.
and our MINDS must claim truth.
and our EYES must seek Him.
and our TRUST must hold tight.

it is with these crushed dreams and disappointments that we must come to His cross and surrender. (easier said than done).

and sometimes it requires a physical laying down of what we have been clutching so closely.

a bending back of stiff fingers and a turning up of resistant palms.

so that we can ...
             ask HIM for the next plan, the next step, the next morsel, the next minute ...

so that we can trust and obey.

that age-old hymn runs through my mind this morning ...
trust and obey
for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus
but to trust and obey.

so, 15 days of giving praise for His plan.  not in boredom (heavens no!), but in obedience, i will be posting what God's word says about His ways, His plans, His purpose and His perfect love.

need a reminder? then join me.

in these next two weeks we aren't going to figure out everything about God or what He's doing in each of our lives. but we are going to figure out (or at least be encouraged) how to give Him praise for who He is and what He's doing.

and that's the best way i know to weed out whatever it is which is growing bitter within.

because ...

it's not in knowing the plan, but in knowing the Planner.
it's not in knowing the direction, but in knowing the Director.
it's not in knowing the story, but in knowing the Author.

i'll be posting these next 15 days at:  eventhesparrow Facebook page ...
you can click on the above link and then LIKE the page for the daily posts.

starting tomorrow!