My Plans. Your Plans. His Plans.

"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." -Jeremiah 29:11
Over the next few weeks I want to write about my plans, your plans, and God's plans. Jared will post a few blogs too, just for fun.
I want to start out by going into a story line of my past thoughts. We will start when I believe I fully and wholeheartedly committed my life to Christ. I grew up in a God fearing home, but it was actually my Senior year of High School that I made a commitment to Christ; that I would follow Him and I dedicated my life to what He had in store for me. The day I committed my life to Him was, in my opinion, the day my life started.
I don't attest to knowing God completely, that will never happen. He is so big and so mysterious. If I use the analogy that God is human and I am but an ant, it would be an understatement. If I say that God is human and I am but a lifeless, thoughtless rock, it is getting closer to the truth. In my love for God, I have wanted more than anything to truly know Him and to understand His ways. I want to live my life with His purpose and to show His glory.
When I went to college, I had a hard time trying to decide what to do with my life. What does God want me to do? What if I choose wrong? Why doesn't God tell me what He wants me to do? Who should I marry? Is this the one that God wants me to marry or am I trying to take this into my own hands?
These thoughts and so many more would come across my mind. Instead of being carefree and loving life, I began to panic over which decision to make. I would bring myself to having panic attacks, because I was afraid that I wasn't understanding God correctly. I even dated people that I thought would make the ideal husband, that would ideally partner with me in ministry.
In that state Jared walked into my life. He had a carefree and calm spirit about him that was like no one I had ever experienced before. I greatly enjoyed his company and found him to be so incredibly cute. :)In March of 2002, Jared and I were married.
When I would read the scripture, "For I know the plans I have for you...", I would think to myself, what are they? Come on, what are they? God what are the plans? I overcomplicated things. What are God's plans....plans to prosper you (and He has), and not to harm you (and He hasn't), plans to give you a hope and a future (more than you could ever imagine and I am hopeful and optimistic of what is to come). His promise to us, when we walk with Him is in the most simple and purest form; to see us prosper, to not harm us, and to give us a hope and a future. When I chose to trust in Him, no matter what person I chose to marry or what career I chose to be in, He has been by my side, doing each of these things. That is His promise to those who choose to follow Him.