What That Obstacle Might Really Be

In all the wicked storms that have gone through Iowa recently, we've been blessed to lose just a few trees. We have more than 23 acres of timber, so toppled trees is always a possibility when the weather gets dramatic.

But we were surprised/not surprised to see this tree that fell on the little levee. It must have fallen sometime during the last storm, but we just hadn't noticed it. I had planned on taking the side-by-side down to fish this weekend and take some time at my prayer bench, but my plans have been temporarily thwarted until we have time to cut and clear it.

Please note that I said temporarily thwarted. I still have every intention of going fishing, I just have to adjust my schedule a bit. I still plan to take my Bible down and pray in my favorite spot, it just won't be at that exact time. 

On the same day that we saw the fallen tree, the Streams in the Desert devotion was about obstacles. God's timing is perfect, right? 

We get frustrated when our carefully laid plans are blocked by something. It may be a person, a challenge, or an unexpected need. Multiple times a day we pray for that obstacle to be removed so we can continue on with our well-scheduled life.

But what if that obstacle is the answer to a prayer? What if it is protecting you from something even worse? God's plan is perfect, and that challenge in your way is still part of His purpose.

The only way life would be easy is if God didn't have a plan and purpose for us, if He didn't want - above all else - for us to grow. He never leaves us or forsakes us because He's busy doing whatever it takes to make us more like His Son. If we're able to see the current obstacle as a workout for what's coming next, we'll be strengthened for the next part of His plan. 

So what's standing in your path today? How is God using it for your good and His glory?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Holland Creme - That Amazing White Stuff In Donuts

Image
I remember going to the grocery store every Saturday morning when I was growing up, and my favorite place in the entire store was the donut case. All the glazed, powdered and filled baked goods drew me like a magnet. My favorites, far and away, were the ones filled with that beautiful white, fluffy creme. At the time I didn't know it was called Holland Creme - I just knew it was the most amazing concoction ever. Ever. Here is my version of this sweet treat. You can make your own fried donuts and fill them, or like I did here, you can cut a crevice into store-bought donuts with a knife and fill them with creme in a piping bag. Either way, you're going to love it. Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup shortening 1 cup butter 1 Tbsp vanilla 7 cups powdered sugar 1. Make a simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium heat until boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool complet...
Read more

Recovering An Old Card Table And Making It Usable Again

Image
This card table recover project has been on my to-do list for months. I've been using it as my workspace in the craft room for quite some time, and it sees a lot of abuse. Here it is now, with a neutral cover on it so I can take better pictures for my tutorials. There were dents and dings in the old blue covering from metal tools. And yes, I've used my embossing heat tool on it several times, leaving pretty good scars. The padding underneath the blue cover also made it difficult to keep paper crafts flat when adhering them together, so it was time for something new. That's where a simple vinyl tablecloth comes in handy. The process to recover the table is pretty simple, but I learned a couple of lessons the hard way. I share them with you now. First, don't do this on any surface but a carpet. I tried it on the deck int he sunshine to get better pictures, but all it did was tear up the cover. Second, get a second pair of hands to help you kee...
Read more

Crafts For Teen Girls To Make

Image
In our teen girls Bible study, we're studying our way through the Proverbs 31 woman and it's been such a blessing to me, as I hope it's been to them. Every month we spend an afternoon or an evening together studying Scripture, making something amazing in the kitchen and creating something that corresponds to the verse we're in. Choosing the crafts each time can be a challenge for several reasons. It needs to be something they can completely finish (or do most of) because once they leave they're probably not going to work on it themselves - that's just the nature of teenagers. Remember? It also needs to be a project that keeps they're attention, is age-appropriate and is cool enough that they'll want to keep it or give it to someone special. But hey, no pressure on the Bible study leader, right? Here are just a few of the projects we've done together in the year we've been meeting. * This month's craft will be the adorable cross stit...
Read more