when to say no - part 2

I never thought I would be here at 21, single, and living in my hometown on my grandparents' farm. When I left for college, this wasn’t part of my "adult plan." I was supposed to go to school, meet a guy, fall in love, get engaged a year before graduation, get married, and have two or three kids. It sounds like a movie, doesn’t it? I bet you can picture the cute house with the dog sleeping on the front porch while the kids play in the yard. But here I am, getting a degree in a field I'm not pursuing. There’s no dog, husband, or kids in sight.

I met a guy at home the summer after my freshman year. We dated for a year and then got engaged. Five months later, I handed him back the ring and walked out the door. This was nowhere near my plan. Remember, it was cute and sweet—the kind of story you’d want to tell your kids one day. This wasn’t my plan, but it's God’s plan. Let me tell you a truth rooted in my faith: the Lord’s plan is always better, higher, and brings Him more glory than mine. His plan isn't promised to be easy, painless, or always joyful, but it is always better!

It’s funny how God promises us that His plan is better, yet we desire our own ways. We read that in scripture, sing it in worship songs, wear it on a shirt, or say it to a friend going through a rough patch. But when it comes to me, I've learned that I'd rather just have the good times—no hardship for me, Lord—just sunshine, stress-free days, and a peaceful life.

But regardless of what we wish, the Bible promises hardships. James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” Because we are sinners living in a fallen world, God’s word promises trials: divorce, financial troubles, failure, sickness, death, and more.

Despite the pain of trials and suffering, we have a Savior who is greater than any trial and who can relate to us through our pain. I rejoice knowing my God is bigger than my trials because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

This is my story. God turned my mess into His message, my heartbreak into His healing, and my fear and failures into finding Him.

This isn’t a story about reliving my past or airing grievances about my ended relationship. It’s not about hating or putting others down because we are all sinners saved by the blood of Jesus on the cross. But it is my story—a testament to how I walked with my Father through heartbreak and found much greater joy, faith, and freedom on the other side.