Sometimes God’s plans are not the same as our plans.  Two years ago I was so happy and relieved to finally be a stay at home Wife and Mother.  I believed firmly that was God’s plan for our family.  Hubby and I had worked hard for years trying to make it happen and then we watched astonished as God cleared the path and opened the door more amazingly than we could have ever imagined.  We turned to God in prayer yielding ourselves to His way and our faith grew as we watched God work.

Almost exactly two years later I am working again.  I didn’t think I would be and I certainly didn’t want to, but I believe this to be God’s plan.   A few weeks ago my Hubby and I were at lunch discussing several pending contracts in his business and the situation with our renter as well.  We were hashing out best and worst case scenarios in our financial situation - planning ahead. 

We talked about the worst possible should all go down hill at the same time.  I said with reluctance, “Well…should I start looking for a job…just in case?” The areas I am trained in and have past experience in are all very stressful, demanding jobs with hours that are not always family oriented and I really did not want to pursue my past careers. At that very moment my cell phone rang.  Since my Hubby and I were in the middle of such an important conversation I let the call go to my voicemail and we continued talking. 

The call turned out to be from my Pastor who wanted me to pray about stepping into our church secretary’s position which was soon to be vacant. Our secretary of 24 years was retiring.  She had given ample notice but time had gone by quickly and she would be leaving in three days.  When I first heard of her resignation I had so many other things on my mind that I didn’t think much about it except in terms of how she would be missed.

But over the weeks since she gave her notice two different people had dropped a comment that I would be a good person for the job. God had already been working on my heart, but I knew Hubby would be against it.  After the Pastor’s phone message, we agreed to pray over it and at least consider it.

I knew it was what God wanted already, but after leaving Hubby at his job sight I prayed all the way home that God would make it clear to Hubby if this was really indeed God’s plan for us.  I also prayed that God would pave the way in the church members’ hearts to be flexible with my family’s schedule.  By the time Hubby arrived home that night he was clear that taking this job was what I was supposed to do.  I was astonished that God had moved his heart so quickly, but evidently he had already been talking to God before our Pastor’s phone call and the call only confirmed what he was slow to face as well.

I called my pastor back that night and met with the personnel committee Wednesday night. Nothing, was set in stone.  My days of work, hours of work and pay rate were not decided.  I started on Thursday morning anyway in order to have at least one day with the outgoing secretary.  One day in order for her to impart 24 years of experience! I worked on Friday and then had the long Labor Day weekend off.

I was in an ill mood.  I did not want to go back to work.  I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was God’s plan.  I resigned from another commitment I had even though I was not officially hired yet because I knew that this was God’s will.  It was God’s plan for my church and for my family, but I was not liking it.  God and I had several long talks over the long weekend and by Tuesday I had a better attitude.

Now I am embracing God’s plan and enjoying my job.  I am having so much fun.  I’m loving the challenges and loving the interaction with the church members.  I am able to drop my kids off at school in the morning and then pick them up again in the afternoon. 

While I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around all these changes God keeps bringing to mind the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector (Luke 19:1-11).  I guess he never imagined that day he climbed the tree just trying to get a glimpse of Jesus that Jesus would end up at his house that day.  I reckon that never in a million years Zacchaeus thought that he and Jesus would be eating together that day.

Even more important than the change in plans was Zacchaeus’ change of heart.  Zacchaeus repented and was a changed man after that day. I pray that my heart will never be hardened to God’s plans for me no matter what my ideas may be.