Planning Ahead

Something that continues to amaze me ~ and fills my heart with thanksgiving ~ is that God not only knows the future, but works to prepare the way for us. I was forcibly reminded of this just recently.

In December 2010, after a very long and tiring 6 years, I graduated with my Bachelors in Computer Science. Then there were 5 weeks of bliss in which I lived a close to normal life and tried to catch up a little on the many hours of sleep I had lost, especially over the last year. In late January, I jumped on a plane and took the first of three trips to Kuwait. Three weeks into the second trip I crashed emotionally.

The demands of the job had me going 12-14 hours a day. The team I worked with had all returned home while I stayed in country. Thousands of miles away from home, I was really feeling the separations from my friends, family, and church. The people I normally depended on were all unavailable.

One evening, after a particularly difficult phone call, I wept as I walked back to my room. I had reached the end of my strength and despair was knocking on my door. The next morning I felt like I couldn't face the day. I don't remember when I have felt so alone.

But God!

That afternoon, during the Sunday service, God began to shine a light through my darkness as He wrapped His arms around me. A few days later, I was talking to one of the soldiers I had met through work and discovered he knew Jesus Christ. He had walked this road before, so understood what I was facing. Over the next few weeks, that soldier became such a source of encouragement to me! He prayed for me, gave me pointers, and put a smile back on my face. And then I learned he wasn't even supposed to be there.

His deployment had been schedule to end about the time I crashed, but for some "unknown" reason, he was extended for 3 additional months.

"I really wanted to go home", he said, "but I know God has a reason for me to stay. I don't know what it is, but I'm good with it. "

With my heart overflowing, I looked at him and said, "It was me. God had you stay for me. I'm so sorry you had to extend! But God knew that I needed you here."

"Then I'm good", he replied with a smile that lit up his face.

As I share this story, tears come to my eyes and my heart is overwhelmed once again at the amazing love of God! He knew I had pushed my body as far as it would go. He knew how dark it would become. And He knew I would need somebody there to touch my life. So God found a willing heart, rearranged deployment schedules, and orchestrated workflows so that someone would be in place to lift up my weary hands.

I serve an amazing God! How thankful I am that "He see the way that I take" and plans ahead for my arrival. His love for us is so great ~ vast beyond all measure!!