It's Not That Anything is Going Wrong...

So Joe and I typically like to have order in our lives. We are the type of people that plan. I am the type of person that plans not only for the given event, but for all possible events that could occur while said event is going on. I am also the type of person that is completely thrown off when something happens that doesn't fit into the plan, or any of the possible plans that have been made. In the past week, I have been thrown off a lot…things haven't been going according to any plan, it's not that anything is going wrong, it just isn't in the plan!

When we were in Colorado at Missions Training International for three weeks at the beginning of the summer, we were given a stress test. We were sitting in a room with over 40 other missionaries who were taking the same test. This stress test had events listed in one column and point values listed in the other. The point of the test was to check the events that were happening in your life, and then add up the points. There were different values, 200-300 moderate stress, you should take a break; 300-400 high stress, you are on the verge of a breakdown; over 400 meant you should be hospitalized. The events listed were things like "made a move in the last year", "switched jobs in the last year", "graduated college", "traveled away for home", "had to say goodbye to loved ones", and the list went on with about fifty events. Needless to say, Joe and I scored over 1000 points, and we were some of the lowest out of all of the missionaries. The point of this test was to show us that things were not normal for us and that even if we said we were fine, we had all these stressers in our lives. This meant that often times it would be the small things that cause us to get upset.

All of this to say, as our time in the states winds down, our stressers are at an all time high, and it’s the small things, like when something doesn't go according to plan, that have been hardest for us to take in. I have learned so much during this phase of my life, that sometimes my plans don't happen because God has another one, one which is always better. I find myself realizing that I don't stop to thank God enough for having such a perfect plan for my life. Have you noticed in the Bible that when someone is petitioning God for something, we often read one or two verses about their request. When that prayer is answered, we can find whole chapters of thanksgiving to God for what he has done for them and how he has answered their prayers. I have seen God answer more prayers and take care of us more than ever in this phase of our lives, yet my prayer life isn't as full of thanksgiving as the people I read about in the Bible. I find that when God answers a prayer the way that we think it should be answered, there can be an attitude of expectation or like it's something we deserve-it's like we think God answers prayers based on who we are, not on who He is. I have been learning that when things don't go according to plan, I need to stop and pray for patience, and then thank God, knowing that He is taking care of me according to His plan.

Joe and I have tried to make more of an effort lately to stop and thank God for all of the things that He has done for us and really pouring our hearts out to Him with the joy that we have for the many, many ways that He has taken care of us. Please know that we have been thanking God for you and your prayers and encouragement. Maybe we should stop trying to plan and just roll with what comes our way in flammertime.