When I saw this week’s FiveMinuteFriday word was “adapt,”
I immediately thought of a saying we have at the office, “You have to be flexible
to work with church people.” This mantra was often repeated because the best-laid
plans go awry often. Not to mention, the Holy Spirit will throw a monkey wrench
into said plans.
Speaking of plans … I now know what I want to
write for my 5 minutes on adapt:
GO
When I started out on my journey, I thought I knew
exactly what that journey would look like.
I’d marry a Christian, have children, and be a
stay-at-home mom. I’d wear blue jean jumpers, home-school my kids and host
killer pot lucks and barbecues while having my door open at all times for
guests.
Didn’t happen.
I did marry a Christian, but we encountered
fertility problems. Our children were born 10 years later than I had planned. I
was unable to be a stay-at-home mom; because my husband became ill, and I had to
go to work. I looked terrible in blue jean jumpers and I did not have the
patience, or the time, to home-school my kids.
As for the hospitality I envisioned, my husband’s
illness made him want to be away from crowds!
What’s a girl to do?
Adapt! Obviously, my plan was not the plan God
had laid out for me. He had a totally different life in mind.
STOP (My 5 minutes are up, but I still have
words, so I will carry on.)
I had to adjust my way of thinking and adapt to
the life I was given.
I was given the opportunity to be a ministry
assistant, a bible teacher and a board member at my church. He let me be on the
worship team and even lead worship a couple times a month. I’ve been honored to
be one of the midweek speakers at my church. And, if that were not enough, He
has placed dreams in my heart that have not yet come to fruition.
Adapting is hard, no doubt about it! But it’s
a choice. Change your way of thinking or be stuck. This journey is too short,
and too important, to let resentment bog us down.
I'm choosing the path of adapting.
~~~
Have you ever had to adapt? I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a comment and share, or if you like, link up your own post on the subject at the FMF community.
I'm also linking this post to Grace&Truth.
Oh my gosh, Jerralea, it sounds like you certainly know a thing or two about adapting. I love that you point out that it's a choice. We might not have control over the circumstances but we have a lot of say in how we respond and I'm inspired by the path you took.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your words and for giving us more than five minutes worth today. You surely blessed me!
Not only have you adapted, but you have thrived as you have done so!
ReplyDeletebetty
I loved getting more of your story here all in one place! I'm not good at falling back and re-grouping when plans go awry, but we certainly are given plenty of practice with it in this life, and I'm thankful for God's enabling and grace.
ReplyDelete