Bittersweet Transitions: Part 1 of 3
Do you ever just need to pause…
Right now I just want to stop and reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God. It has been an insane season of leading trips with Adventures. I've spent seven weeks in Staten Island working with groups, from all over the country, giving aid to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy, and just finished my last week leading a trip in Oklahoma City seeking to bring hope to those affected by the May tornados. 
As I sit and reflect, not just on this season of leading, but on this entire year I feel overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed at God's perfect plan. I am overwhelmed by how perfectly he orchestrates time, and space, and relationships, to weave into the tapestry we call life. All of it cries out the glory and goodness of our God!
I feel torn between telling you what I think you might want to hear vs. what my hearts wants to sing out. In my tiny mind it makes since to me to tell you about the specific things that God has done in these places — the people, conversions, provisions, and answered prayers. Those things are definitely good and they are woven into the story but I feel compelled to tell you a different story.
A story of intimacy.
The theme of my year and the theme of my summer has been intimacy. God has brought me to new levels of dependency in Him. My initial reaction is to go kicking and screaming. Over the year I have seen the Lord gently take some things out of my hands and then pry out some others.
The need for control being a huge thing. If I can see it or understand how it will all fit together then I have a sense of security. But situation after situation God has altered the plan at the last minute or allowed everything I expected or planned to fall through so that He could show me that He will take care of it all.
He is God. He is good and He is sovereign over His creation- which includes me and my life.
I am falling in love with not knowing the plan because it opens up sweet and intimate times of prayer with Him. It makes me fall on my face and seek Him and in that space He reminds me of His love and care for me. He works out everything for our good and His glory. That's not just a catch phrase. It is His heart for us that we would rest in His hands. And in that place we will learn true praise.
So the story of intimacy is better described as the story of surrender. The story of letting go. Letting go of what makes sense to us.. of what the world or even our experience says is right or true. It is simply saying, "you know what Lord, I don't know. I don't have a clue what is happening around me. But you do and I trust your plan."
So Lord I say yes. I say yes to your plan because I know and trust that it is better.
Truly one day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere — surrender tastes so sweet.
Have you said yes lately?
