Rain On Our Parade

Yesterday, the youth group went to the Braves game, so much fun! It takes about 3.5 hours to get there, so we left the church around 9. After driving for what seemed like forever, we stopped for lunch at a gas station. We kept looking for a rest stop, but since we never saw one, we just ate our sack lunches in the van. We had a big plan for a picnic and devotion, but it turned into a face-stuffing and very quick lesson.

In the van, I had the chance to lead the devotion. I wanted it to tie into the baseball game, so I talked about pride, and how it gets in the way of us and God. one of my favorite things that God showed me in that lesson was this: A baseball team cannot win if all the players focus on their on desires instead of the goals of the team. However, God will be victorious not matter what. Pride just keeps us from sharing in his victory. So often, I begin to believe that God can't do it without me. The pressure of that is more than anyone can bear. When I fail, I think that I let God down somehow; however, I only let Him down when I work for myself and not for Him; and even if i abandon Him, His plan will still prevail!

The clouds had loomed overhead all day, and we went through a few showers on the way to the game, but when we arrived at the stadium, the weather was perfect! The clouds overhead provided just enough shade. However, around the 6th inning the clouds turned dark and at the end of the seventh, they opened up and poured sheets of rain onto the unexpecting fans. They all ran for cover, and most ran home. We hung around, taking pictures and watching the field crew cover the field. Only 20 minutes later, we returned to our wet seats to watch the last 2 innings with wet rears under sunny skys! Nothing was going to rain on our parade!

It was such a blessed day. On the way up there, i finished reading The Way I Was Made by Chris Tomlin (titled inspired by his song). As most of you know, I have no clue where my future is going, where God is leading me. Chris hit so many homeruns in my heart with the things that he said in that book pertaining to his struggle with his future. For instance
--"Looking back, I can see that God was hard at work on my real future. But at the time, I wasn't convinced. So I played it safe. I let God do His thing and I went to work getting into physical therapy school. Not that I had a passion for it, but physical therapy seemed like a logical way for me to make money (just being honest)."

Right now, I feel like that is where I am at, just holding on to my backup plan until God reveals to me a real passion, something that doesn't just make money. Look at Chris Tomlin, he was fixing to start physical therapy school and now he is a world-renowned worship leader, constantly inviting people to glorify God. Who knows what God has for me, a girl who is holding onto a chemistry degree, waiting on direction from God. The book encouraged me to be confident in my waiting, but not to ignore the signs that God gives me.

One year ago, I would have never guessed that I would be here, in Savannah, Georgia, but that is where he led me! Praise Him that He did! and because of this leading, I can trust Him to continue to lead me exactly where He wants me to go.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to the completion until the day of Christ Jesus.--Philippians 1:6

I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.--Jeremiah 29:11