my life plan.

I've been thinking lately about the plans that I've had for my life, and the way those plans have changed over the last several years. I find it funny the iterations that we go through, and how hard we cling to the road map that we've created.

And I even made pictures to illustrate my point.

Don't laugh.

Well, okay. You can laugh.

When I went to college, this was my life plan:

I was going to study for a career that I found interesting, even if it wasn't something I was passionate about. I'd meet the love of my life, marry him, and get started on the big family that I always wanted. I'd love my husband, raise my kids to be godly men and women, and get involved in ministry as long as it wasn't too uncomfortable or too hard.

I think at this point, I would have said that I would serve God in whatever way he wanted. I'm not sure I really meant it, though - or at least, that I had any idea what that might really mean.

Then, life didn't quite turn out that way. God directed me on a different path, but instead of treating that change in direction like the start of a brand new adventure, I just considered it a little detour. The timeline might not be the same, but my life plan was still intact.

Fortunately, God loves me far too much to let me settle for the path I had mapped out. Now, my life plan looks something like this:

And in the midst of all of those twists and turns are all kinds of precious experiences I would have missed out on, if I had been able to direct the course of my life - things like Russia and Africa, wonderful friends and my church family, a job I really like, a ministry I love, and a cause that I am passionate about.

But the most important thing, the best gift of all - its in that tangled mess that I really met God.