This morning as I read my devotion, I reflected on the writer's words regarding her "5 year plan". At the age of 20, she created a plan that would serve as her guide in efforts to accomplish what she felt was God's plan for her life. Two years into her plan, a blue-eyed young man entered her life and he became her husband nine months later. Her "interrupted" plan was a blessing from God and the couple are celebrating 25 years this year. This story touched my heart due to the blessing of "interruption" in my own life. At 27 years old, I found myself divorced and broken before God. I wanted to so badly to be a woman that God would be proud of but I did not see how God could be proud of a failed marriage and a past that consisted of shame and despair. As I sat in my room one night praying, I cried out to God to help me make my life something more than my past. I wanted to be a woman that made my heavenly Father proud to call me his daughter. I also desperately wanted to become a wife one day and to have a family but I knew my main focus at that point was to to grow as a person and especially as a Christian. I set out thinking this best way to do this was to create a list to serve as a guide...my five year plan, I suppose. As I tried new things and centered my attention on God, I was given the best interruption to my plan. He was not at all what I had anticipated at that time! I was not looking for my husband which I think is one thing that makes him so special to me! He was a complete surprise and precious blessing! When we first began dating, we lived three hours from one another and I spent many trips traveling home literally crying because I felt that God was being too good to me! This sweet guy had never been married and had so much going for him...why me? I was divorced and ashamed of it. I had not forgiven myself...but thankfully, God had forgiven me. The more time I spent with the man that would become my husband, I understood more about the goodness of God. One night as I was reading my Bible, I read Psalm 103. This psalm means so much to me because it explains that the Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve and that he removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. What a beautiful truth! God was blessing me! He was not looking to punish me. I was forgiven! Once I realized this, I still cried to God but this time I cried tears of thanksgiving! I am so incredibly blessed! I have a wonderful husband who is a precious reminder of God's love for me! My prayer is that I always remember that my marriage is gift from God and that my love for my husband should always be Christ-like. I should seek to serve rather than be served, understand rather than always seek to be understood, and love rather than demand. Thank you God for this wonderful life and the precious husband you have blessed me with!
