For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

*****

When Leland died, every dream we had together died with him. Every plan God had for us to do together died with him. I felt “lost and undone”.

I knew I had things I felt God had for me to do but I actually felt more like I was just rattling around. I couldn’t get a handle on my life. I really was wandering around feeling my life was pretty much over.

I knew the scripture up there. I know God says He has great plans for each of us. I just kind of felt it had all blown up in my face. I felt like, since Leland left here early without finishing his assignment, it was over. We failed.

During my quiet time with God the other day, I was led to read Jeremiah 29:11 in two different translations. 

The first is the Message version:

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out— plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 

Obviously this brought tears to my eyes because God was telling me He WILL take care of me and He will NOT abandon me. I have a lot of hopes and dreams for a future – He plans to give it to me!

Then God led me to the New International Version (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God spoke clearly to my heart that He won’t leave me out here scrounging for my every need. He also said that the plans He had for Leland will be picked up by someone else. 

I remember a minister once who was thanking God for trusting him with an assignment. God told him he was the 8th person God had asked; he was the only one who agreed and obeyed! Plans will always get accomplished for God. 

As for me? The plans He gave me years ago are still waiting for me to go back and pick them up. I let them drop when Leland died. They did not require Leland for me to fulfill them. God’s just waiting for me to agree and obey.

God loves us SO much that He created plans for every single person on this earth. Some fail by going the wrong way, by allowing the enemy to steal their future. I almost became one of those statistics.

But for the love of God.

♥