A Mom Moment: I know the plans I have for you
“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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14
My son, Jacob, is almost 12. He asked if I would order two books for him on-line. “I’ll pay you for them, Mom, but Walmart does not have them in the stores; we have to order on line. Will you order them with your debit-card thing? I’ll pay you for them.” He was so cute. I told him that I’d buy them for him, and he didn’t have to pay me back. “We’ve spent money on your sister’s sports and clothes that she’s needed. I think we can spend $17 on 2 books for you, Jacob.”
“Thanks so much, Mom! I’m so excited! I’ve never ordered anything and actually had it sent to my front door before. It will be so fun!”
His child-like excitement was wonderful to witness. Once we ordered them, he said, “Why does it say 3-5 business days? What does that mean?”
I explained to him that when you order something, the company estimates how long it will take to actually arrive. It’s usually 3-5 days. I then explained the difference between business days and weekend days.
Four days later, I happened to be home, working in the office, and I heard the UPS truck drive up, walk up to the front door and leave a box. I got up to get the box, but as I stood on the front porch, I thought, “I should leave this here for him so he can see it when he’s walking up to the front door.” He had been waiting 4 days. Every night when I got home he’d say, “Mom, the books haven’t come yet. I am so excited for them to come.” I decided to stand them up on the porch so he wouldn’t miss it. A couple hours later, I was typing in the office when I heard his bus. I was so excited that this happened to be a day when I was actually home. I was looking forward to seeing his face as he walked up to receive the box of books that he had ordered 4 days earlier. I stood inside the entry way, looking out the side-door window. As soon as he turned the corner on our walkway, I saw his eyes look expectantly up at the porch, and then his eyebrows raised, and his lips slowly turned into a smirk and then a big grin; he was glowing! It was one of the best moments of my life. The look on his face was a look I had never seen before, but then again, it was a new experience for him so it was probably a brand new, never before seen on his face - look.
As Jacob reached for his box, my heart jumped a little, tears came to my eyes, and I had to take a breath. As I looked at my son opening the box and pulling out 2 sweet chapter books as if they were gold, God said, “I do these things for you, Kristina.” God impressed upon me that He does the same for us. He has plans for us. He’s had plans for us since before we were born, and He wants us to walk up to the moments and gifts that He’s ordered for us as we receive them in faith. I thought of God being a parent to me, who allows me to use His Credit Card to order something that I’ve really wanted or really needed, or always desired. He lovingly orders my steps. Even the “boxes” or circumstances that I didn’t necessarily choose, He still works them for my good. I teared up at what a loving Father He is. I thought of my son’s life, and how God has so many wonderful opportunities for him. God has people, opportunities, teachable moments, and wonderful events that will show up on the front porch of my son’s life, and my son will turn the corner of his days, and walk up to them, and into them, and experience them because God will carefully place them, sitting up, leaning against a moment in time in order to bring attention to them, ensuring that Jacob will see them as he approaches from afar. Some days, Jacob will expect and hope, and no box will be there (things won’t turn out as he’d hoped they’d would), some days Jacob will walk up to a door God has prepared for him, and he’ll be surprised because there is an unexpected box (event, opportunity or apparent defeat) that Jacob is faced with. What touches my heart so much is to know that God loves my son even more than me, and while I used my personal credit card to buy Jacob 2 books totaling $17, Our Heavenly Father, paid a much higher price for my son’s secure place in eternity, and God is personally invested in his life, ordering his steps, and placing packages of peace and hope and perseverance upon the porch of his present. My eyes teared up and I thanked my Heavenly Father for loving me, my son, my daughter, my husband, my brothers and their families, and you so very much. He paid a price, not with a credit card, but with the crediting deposit of Christ in our lives. Yes, it’s true, He does have wonderful plans for us.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
A man’s steps are directed by the Lord.
Proverbs 20:24
Warrior Moms Unite!®
Love,
Kristina
The Warrior Mom Ministry was founded by Kristina Seymour, author of The Warrior Mom Handbook – Equipping Women through the Word, a Bible study for moms who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. Kristina has learned that moms can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about The Warrior Mom Handbook, the Warrior Mom Ministry, and to sign up for daily encouragement, visit, www.warriormoms.net.