Life is like a path, you never know what’s around the next bend. It leads through dark valleys and takes you to exhilarating mountain-tops.
It can be scary, not knowing where my particular path of life is leading next.
I don’t much like being the leader on the path. I much prefer having someone to follow.
Last summer while on a prayer retreat with my friend Elizabeth, I had a powerful picture of walking along a beach. I felt alone and vulnerable, out in front. I didn’t like it. But then I looked again and saw Jesus just in front of me, glancing back over His shoulder, beckoning me forward with a smile. He made me to be a follower.
Within four days of arriving home, mine and Adi’s path took an unexpected turn through a short valley. Adi was given notice from his job. Suddenly Fear and Anxiety leapt onto the path determined to be my companions.
But I remembered that I was following Jesus along this path of life. And He has promised to provide for all my needs, including peace in place of anxiety. So I cold-shouldered Fear and Anxiety whenever they got too close, and fought to keep my eyes on Jesus. There were times when ‘what if we can’t keep up with the mortgage?’ filtered through my mind. Then there were moments of real peace when I actually managed to trust God.
Within two and a half weeks, Adi was offered a new job with a great firm. We never even missed a pay cheque. It was his one year anniversary in the firm yesterday.
God knew what was ahead of me, and gave me a powerful experience of Him mere days before I would need to lean on Him completely.
02/09/2016 at 4:58 pm
Great post Mandy. Sometimes the path leads in unexpected directions but we can always expect the One who walks with us, to lead the way. What a testimony your story is to that fact! 🙂
02/09/2016 at 5:06 pm
Thanks Deborah 🙂 x
02/09/2016 at 5:11 pm
This is beautiful. It is comforting to know that God knows the path ahead even when we don’t or when things take an unexpected turn. I love how God prepared you for it and helped you to trust him, and your testimony of how he provided for you.
02/09/2016 at 5:36 pm
Thanks Lesley 🙂
02/09/2016 at 5:36 pm
Where God guides, He always provides. He is ever faithful. Thanks for sharing.
02/09/2016 at 7:25 pm
Thanks Ellen 🙂
04/09/2016 at 2:54 pm
A lovely reminder to lean into trusting that God is always faithful. Visiting from FMF, #72.
Peace.
07/09/2016 at 10:14 am
Thanks for visiting Patricia 🙂