Will You Choose Fear or Faith?

Sleep did not come easy for me last night. I kept thinking about how different this morning would be from what it almost was. Today would have been my kids' first day back to school, my baby girl's first day of kindergarten! Today would have been my first day back at a full time job for the first time in twelve years! As I lay there, I couldn't help but remember how many times I've heard people say, "God has a sense of humor". I have to agree with them!

Ten years ago this month I was starting nursing school. I had my future....my  family's future, all planned out. I would become a nurse, work part-time while my babies were little, and then as soon as my youngest went off to kindergarten, I would finally rejoin the workforce! I would interact with adults on a daily basis, and finally have a steady paycheck!  My hopes were to be a school nurse at their school, where I could easily drop them off and pick them up each day. I would be close by and easily involved in school activities.  I would have teacher's hours, and summers off, but without all the lesson planning and classroom preparation. It was perfect! Yep, my plan was perfect....except for one thing,  it wasn't HIS plan.

Fast forward ten years. Here I am at my computer, a home-school mom, coffee in hand, taking a break from my lesson planning and classroom preparation to write this blog. Trust me, the irony is not lost on me :) As I lay there last night, I realized just how much the Lord blesses his children for being obedient.  For having complete faith, for not questioning, and reasoning and worrying about what people will think. And I had to wonder how many times I've missed out on blessings because I let "my ways" get in the way of His.  God called me to do something completely different than I had planned. He called me to something that I never would have dreamed I would or even could do! It was different, far from the normal, completely out of my comfort zone, and quite honestly the scariest decision Jeremy and I have made as parents! The good news is, no matter how scary something may seem, when you know the Lord is in the midst of it, it's only a matter of time before the fear of the unknown fades and it's replaced with peace, contentment, boldness, and reassurance! It doesn't have to be homeschooling, you may be facing any number of decisions in your life. Just know that if God is tugging at your heart and asking something of you, he will be there every step of the way!  Don't let fear rob you of what could be your greatest blessing! 

 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8