I think many times, as women, we go into life with a plan. When the plan doesn’t pan out we are left with some of the hardest decisions we will ever have to make. 1.) We can allow God to make this mess into something beautiful or 2.) We can fight, tooth and nail, to become what we had dreamed about. I really believe, looking back, that God took all of the decisions completely out of my hands. That may sound silly to some…. but I knew what I had wanted. If I had it my way, my life as I know it would look exactly as it does. Where I was headed would never have brought me here! Somewhere along the line, I believe God plucked me up off the road I was on and placed me on an entirely different route. At first, I was spitting mad. When my temper tantrums didn’t convince God to put me back, I fell into a deep pit of depression. It was in the pit that God began to do a work on my heart. It was in the darkness, that God healed me and restored me. I’ve come to realize that most women aren’t living their dream . Somewhere between there and where they are, disappointment gripped their heart. They have gone from big plans to merely survival. 3 babies in 35 months, newly married, planting a church and parenting a teenager was not my idea of a fulfilled life. I was exhausted and surviving was all I COULD do. What happened to the romance, and lavish lifestyle, the nights out on the town and expensive vacations? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER? Often God permits craziness to get us where we need to be. If I hadn’t gone through the things I had, I never would have learned to really trust God. My relationship with Him would be one of tradition and religion. Instead, there’s an intimacy that He and I share. Through every storm, He has shown Himself strong and steadfast. He has spoken to me and carried me when I couldn’t handle another moment. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything!! My prayer is that by reading the pages in this book, you’ll have the courage to dream again. That this time around, you will allow God to map out the course for your life. It may not look like you want it to, immediately. However, when He is finished, I’m certain you will find that it’s exactly the way you wanted it. No, it won’t be the fairy tale you’ve dreamed about since girl-hood. There is no Prince Charming or romantic Balls to attend. But wrapped up in the middle, you’ll find that you’ve fallen more in love than you’ve ever dreamed possible. You will see that there’s more adventure and more romance in being a mom than Cinderella any day. And at the end of your life, you will find that things couldn’t be any better than it was…. If God is allowed to direct your paths. So read on, my dear friend….and together, we will climb up out of the pit we are in and start again. Gods got big plans for your life. You just have to learn to get out of the way and let Him be God!
