I’ve been on a journey for the last 17 months that has highlighted God’s perfect timing. Every time I’m told a schedule that is most probable there is a conflict about something I felt God led me to commit. All I have been able to do is tell God I am powerless to find a way out of the conflicting purposes. Each time the unexpected happened. It was almost laughable at this point. My journey has been teaching me in a very poignant way the truth of what God tells us in Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Literally, the only reasonable explanations for the way things have work together on my journey are that they have been prepared in advance.

I’m beginning to expect the unexpected. For example, in the past few years, God alone provided a way for two previously planned mission trips not to conflict with the other journey He has asked me to walk. Both of these mission trips happened in the first seven months of my journey. Later, He organized my journey so that my daughter’s May wedding would not be interrupted in any way. Recently, I was surprised to discover that I had made a hair appointment that I could not keep because of my journey. (You know how important a color and cut is to a woman.) Before I rescheduled immediately, I was getting hints that my journey might be readjusted again, so I didn’t cancel the hair appointment. I’m glad I can report that my hair care is totally up to date. I could list at least ten such experiences of big things and small. The only One who could pull off such a feat is God.

I am convinced that every step of my journey is being perfectly orchestrated in the way that is best. I rarely can make out the view ahead—too many clouds or fog obstructing where the journey is leading. Still, I am growing in confidence in the God who maps out my journey. I recognize that all of this has got to be planned out from way above. There is no possible way that I could make this stuff happen.

These days I am living in the freedom of trusting God’s planning. Perhaps I go too far as I am totally unable to answer some of the questions that people ask of me. I just know that it will work out, but God does want me to have an answer for some of these people.

From the outside looking in, my journey looks very confusing, strange and frustrating. From the inside looking out, it looks the same, but all these sparks of light flash out at me in the darkness, reminding me in big and small ways that there is an Architect of my life who planned a way through this journey before the foundation of the world.

I’m enjoying living out a life in which I can recognize God’s advance planning.