After reading a chapter or two, the book gives you a couple of different options that you can choose from that will let you decide how the story should go. You get to make these decisions all throughout the book and ultimately the choices you have made determine how the book ends!
I was thinking about these books today as I was having lunch with my husband and parents. We were talking about how seemingly small, almost insignificant life events can have a huge impact on our futures. For example, my grandfather almost took a job in South Carolina instead of Florida. If he had my parents never would have met and I would cease to exist. If my husband had decided to go to ORU instead of Southeastern, I may never have gotten to meet that handsome man or have the most beautiful baby girl! And if my mom had not suffered through a miscarriage, she never would have become pregnant with my brother who now has four little miracles of his own.
Life is funny like that. Every direction we take, whether we choose it or not can have such a profound impact on what our life will look like in the future.
My husband and I recently quit both of our jobs, rented out our house, and packed up all of our possessions to move from Pensacola to Tampa. At the moment, we are faced with the giant task of planting a church in an area of limited venues, few contacts, and expenses that we don't have. In every way of looking at it, we should be in a constant state of panic. "Did we do the right thing?" "What if no one is interested?" "Is this the best thing for our baby?" "What if the money doesn't come in?" "What if the doors around us keep closing?" "What if everything we are investing in turns out to be a big fat failure?"
There have been so many times in my life when I have been at stuck at the crossroads of a decision, or have had a situation go differently than the way I wanted, or been afraid for my future. What I have seen in all of this is that in every frustration, disappointment, or major life circumstance I have had the opportunity to learn FAITH. So now, at a time when there are more questions than answers and I am in critical need of faith, I can look back at every pivotal moment of my past and see how along the way God has worked EVERYTHING out for my good! No matter the plans I had made, or the list of criteria I believed would give me the perfect life, I can honestly say that God knows best and He has my best interest in mind in all that He does.
So now with my faith in full force, instead of worrying I am loving this edge of my seat moment when God is in control and I am not. I can say "Well God, this is an impossible situation, lets see how only You can come through." My husband and I are following God's calling, we are looking into His vision, and we are anticipating only results that He will give us. I believe that way beyond our awesome plans and creative ideas, it will be God's purpose that determines the outcome of our church and our future! And so with this truth buried within me, I have peace. Because I know that no matter what, there is good in store to those who trust in God. This life is not my own. It is my consecrated journey, where I choose to walk in faith trusting him in every step, every high and every low. And while I may not know where the next chapter will lead me, I have confidence that just like the "Choose Your Adventure" books, an exciting adventure is in store!
