What Does the Future Hold?

   I am in my early 20's, so a question someone often asks me is, "what are your plans for the future?"  Talk about a BIG question.  Looking back over the past few years, in particular, the last 4 years, I can say that I definitely have had "plans" for my life.  Especially my senior year in high school, I would say that I pretty much had a 5 year plan.  Go to college, find a job RIGHT after, get married, and buy a house.  Ok, I had in the back of my mind that, yeah probably it won't all go like THAT, but then, I pretty much was under the impression that it was going to go SOMEWHAT like how I had it  all "worked out" in my mind.  WELL, now jumping 4 years from that time, pretty much nothing has gone according to my "plan".

      Now, I don't want you to think that I am sitting all along in my room, with a box of tissues right next to me, and I am crying my eyes out as I am writing this.  In fact, I am smiling as I am typing this.  It's very amazing for me to look back over the short amount of time of 4 years, and to see that NOTHING actually has gone according to what I had pictured.  Now, I have talked to several people about this, some older than me, and if I tell them this, they most likely will roll their eyes, and pat me on the shoulder saying, "Breana, Breana, you are young and in-experienced.  Of course, life never really goes how we plan it."
      
     Yes, that is very true.  However, I have learned more about this fact than I ever really expected to learn.    Recently, the Lord has shown me that living life as a follower of Christ, is all about giving up our own desires, denying ourselves, and following after His will.  I have heard of this Truth pretty much all of my life, but until now, I really don't think I truly understood what it meant.  My plans, up till this point, may not have come about as I had "thought", and yes, certain areas of life have gone in a different, unexpected directions, but it is all because of God's leading, and it is really all for the better.
  
       I still do have unfulfilled desires and hopes, but I know that my Savior has not forgotten about them.  He is not unaware of them, and as I have been encouraged to do by amazing influences in my life, I am to take ALL of my desires to the Lord.  As believers, followers of Christ, we ALL should.  Even the so called "little ones".  Just the other day, I was trying to make a seemingly small decision, and my dad just said to me, "Pray about it.  God is not an author of confusion.  He will lead you to make a decision even in this, if you just ask."  It is so true friends.   As Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  

   Isn't it comforting to know that we can take ANYTHING we are concerned about to the Lord?!  What an awesome God!

    So, needless to say, I am not unhappy because my life has not gone according to "plan", but I have learned, and will continue TO learn, that the Lord is in control, and He will bring about whatever He wants in His time!  I have never been more joyful than now!

   I also would like to challenge you, to pray about your desires and concerns, even if they be seemingly insignificant.  Nothing is to hard for the Lord.

Thanks for reading and have a great rest of your Saturday!  :-)

(Proverbs 3:5-6)