When Your Plans Get Derailed, Look for the Purpose

Have you ever started on a journey and somehow you never got where you planned to go? Well that happened this weekend to my husband and I.

We had not been to church in a long while. We have had a business for the past 6 years of running vacation rental homes 4 hours away from where we live. That requires us to travel a minimum of once and most often twice a month to Branson and do some work. While there we found a church we were going to, but as often happens if there is a really powerful pastor, he gets moved. So it was in October and we have not been back. While at home, it seemed we have guests every weekend and they don’t go to church so while it sounds like it excuses…it is.

So this weekend we were going. We took off in plenty of time, but I had a new car and I don’t know which of us decided but we wanted to use the navigation. That was a trip! We didn’t have the address, but come on, I found out about 15 minutes later my husband had put it into his phone, address and route. But we were still trying to make the car nav work. Next you are supposed to be able to talk to it. That was hilarious. You can’t just talk. You kind of have to say one thing, then press talk again and say the next. Eventually we had it in there. So with plenty of time to make a quick call to my daughter (because yes, we had overnight guests again at our house) I was on the phone when the car told us we had arrived at our destination….a golf course.

Well at least we were on the correct road. So we trucked on. The next thing we knew we were miles away from the church and about 20 minutes from our home. The service would start in less than 5 minutes and we were 14 minutes away. Forget it.

I still wanted to go to church, really any church. It amazed me that they did not have their worship times on a sign outside. We drove and drove and eventually said why don’t we go to the church by our house. I looked it up and hey we could actually get there on time because they didn’t start till 11:15~

It occurred to me because I have always told the Lord I don’t want to miss a thing, that perhaps there was a purpose in us getting lost so we would have to end up at this church. We had been there many times and it is very close to our home. I was happy. But I have to disclose I was not of the best behavior when I realized we were lost earlier. It was the typical scene of the Christian family going to church and fighting in the car and getting out and being all holy. :).

I used to love this church. When I was a member at a denominational church and on the staff, I would come to this one on Friday evenings just so I could get a taste of something that was unlike what I had grown up with.

But today as we walked in, the music was too loud. (I love loud music, this was too loud) It looked dark and they had the smoke and lights and the electric guitars whining and a very rough singer leading and it was just not what I was used to. After 45 minutes we had only sung two songs, had communion and taken an offering. I am not usually impatient in church. But I was looking at the clock. I knew at this rate it would be after 1pm when we got out and it started at 11:15. There was a time when I worshipped for six hours straight one Saturday each month….but truly I still could, this was just announcements and talking, not much worshipping.

I started wondering if I was wrong after all. God must not have directed us here today because this is not even very worshipful. Then it hit me. They had been praying and singing and talking about healing and testimonies. I told my husband this is my anniversary weekend of being healed of Multiple Sclerosis. It had taken place in this very building, the pastor was the pastor then, but I was there for a Joyce Meyer meeting not a church service.

So from where we were sitting I could see the place that I had stood when I had been healed. God had led us here today. Because the unfortunate truth is that I had forgotten that anniversary. When things are all better we can often get lax in our lives and I had.

It has been so long now that I can’t say for sure if it was 22 or 23 years ago. What I do know is that I don’t thank God enough for the blessing of my regained health. Many people with MS die young, have to live in wheelchairs, have slurred speech and many many other difficult symptoms. It doesn’t just affect the person with the disease, it affects an entire family. If you have read my blog much you know that I get to enjoy my family skiing, horseback riding, hiking, bike riding and just simply being together. I get to hold my new grand baby. I am truly blessed. This past weekend I got to dance the night away at one of my son’s weddings. These are precious gifts I have been given back.

Remembering and honoring God for what He has done for us is building an altar. Celebrating and worshipping Him is what He deserves. I am so very grateful that He disturbed my plans this past Sunday to take me on a journey back in time to revisit the place of my miracle and again be humbled of His love for me to care so much that He would draw me there and have people saying, singing and praying the word healing until I got it!

Yes, God answers our prayers. He also still does miracles today. I invite you to read my testimony, it is full of His amazing timing and what made me realize I don’t ever want to miss the things He is doing.  Do I Trust You Lord Part 1 and Do I Trust You Lord Part 2.

Normally I would just sign off, but I want to pray for you today.

Lord, I delight in You and Your presence. I am so in awe of Your hand in everything we see from the blooming flowers and creatures of the land and seas, there is nothing Your hand has not touched. You spoke creation from nothing and we still enjoy it this day…it did not pass away. You gave us Your Son, Jesus and the power of His Name to speak healing in our lives and others. Lord, I did nothing to deserve Your healing, I asked and You gave. So now on behalf of anyone reading this prayer, I ask again. It was a simple prayer Lord, I remember it well. Lord if you want to heal me I know that You can. Well, Lord you know the need of each person reading this prayer. You know their name, yes, You formed them in their mother’s womb and knew their name before they were even born. I ask in Jesus Mighty Name and by the power of His blood that you wash away the sins, that you heal and bind their wounds, that you bring complete restoration to their bodies. There is nothing impossible with You. There is nothing beyond Your control or power. Let Your glory fall. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Love you all, Debbie

PS. you know what else, I tried to write two other posts for tonite and I was stopped from publishing them both. Another example of a plan derailed…because God wanted someone to read this prayer and testimony. I look forward to hearing if it was you.