It was an overdue visit for my sister and me. We live about 115 miles apart, so when we want to spend time together, we must plan it out. She and my brother-in-law have a lovely Airbnb they built as an extension to their house, and she booked me into it for our two-day sister time. Our agenda included a visit with our aunt, who had recently been in an accident and was convalescing in a hospital in a nearby town.
Sadly, early the next morning, after my arrival, we received word that our dear auntie had passed away just a couple of hours before from complications of the accident. The day my sister and I had planned turned out differently than expected.
As I drove home the next day, the Lord brought this verse to mind: We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Yes, it’s okay to give attention to how we want to spend our time, but we must consider that God is the one who has fixed our route. As we grieve over the loss of our aunt and consider the impact her life and faith in Jesus had on her family, friends, and community, we praise God that she had committed herself into God’s care long ago. He brought her to the end of her earthly journey exactly as He planned.
Do you have assurance that you can trust in how God has determined your steps? Direct your thoughts to making that a priority.
Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to two of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, facilitating a small women’s group at church, and mentoring a few friends who also desire to write.