The Lord Works Out Everything For His Own Ends

Proverbs 16:3-9
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for His own ends-even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil. When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies live at peace with him. Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Oh, how my life has gone in a different direction that I had planned!

MY STORY:
At seven years old, in the middle of a frightening thunderstorm, I decided to give my life to Jesus. Although it took quite a while to finally get on the right path, I know that the Holy Spirit has been with me since that moment in our hallway with my Mother.
At eighteen, sin had torn our church apart and I stopped going to church alltogether. It was at this time that my life began free falling into sin, as I turned my back on my faith.
At twenty, I married a man for all the wrong reasons - mainly to escape the "prison" of my over-protective parents. I endured verbal and emotional abuse from a man who knew exactly how to break my spirit and take all of my pride and dignity from me. After only three months of marriage, I went against everything I believed in and divorced him.
Before my divorce was even final, I began looking for "true love," or at least what I thought it should be. As I grew further and further away from God, I grew more desperate for love and spiraled into a life of partying and live-in boyfriends that never had my best interest in mind... until I finally met my husband, who had a very similar story to mine.
My wake-up call did not come until early October of 2002, when I found out that I was pregnant. Only a few days later, my sixteen-year-old cousin was killed in a car accident. I began to reexamine my life and question where I was going. I was bringing a child into this world and knew that it was time to get my life back together. Jason and I decided to get married and we both started going back to church.
It took a while, but God's plan for my life started to reveal itself as my relationship with Him grew stronger and stronger. It has been a long and difficult journey, but I feel like I am finally living a life that I can be proud of.

The Lord has definately "determined my steps." Had I not gone through some of the hardships that were the consequenses of my disobedience, I don't know if I would have learned to trust Him the way that I do now. I have learned patience, humility, how to rejoice in times of trouble, and most of all forgiveness. Not only how to forgive others, but how to forgive myself. I am still amazed every day at the love that my Savior showed me through his suffering - the same love that He pours out on me every day, drawing me closer and closer to Him. How can I keep this to myself? He deserves nothing less than everything that I am, everything I can give. He is my Creator, the Healer of my soul, my Strength, and the ONLY PERFECT Love. How can I not share this love with the world? It is the least that I can do for the One who has given the most for me!!