Author Robert Burns penned the now famous line, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” I can’t tell you how many times in my life the plans I made were detoured. I thought my plan was foolproof, only to find out it wasn’t life proof. Things happen that I don’t foresee and derail my goals and dreams. Often times, in disappointment and frustration, I give up on them and never return to complete them.
Sadly, this is the story for most of us. Life happens and takes away our happily ever after. We either think life has it out for us or God just doesn’t care. The truth is that often we try to build our own plans for our life and never include God’s plan for our life. When all of my plans came crashing down several years ago, I looked at my life and only saw a foundation left. I remember hearing God say, “Now that your plan failed, will you try it my way?”
I agreed that His way was best. I remembered the prophetic words spoken over me shortly after disaster took it all away. God said, “What looks like an ending is only a beginning. Where I am leading you, you will find more joy than you’ve ever known.” As I handed over the reigns of my future to God, I prayed, “God, I trust your future for my life over mine. Do what you want with my life and work out your plan for me.”
God has been faithful to do just that. Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will work out his plans for my life” (NLT). If your plan for your life has failed and you’re at what looks like an ending, I recommend handing over the reigns of your life to God. You can trust your future to Him. He will take what looks like an ending, and turn it into a new beginning. Pray that same prayer I did and watch God work on your behalf.
Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 
Our plans may be foolproof, but not life proof. How true! As I’ve shared with you before, I have also been torn down to the foundation, and then rebuilt by God. The truth is, our long-suffering ancient brother (Job) had it much worse. That dude lost EVERYTHING!
My word for 2021 is PERSPECTIVE.
Blessings to you in 2021, and thank you for your blog ministry. You are one of the most consistent writers I follow: sticks to a schedule, offers good content.
When I was going through it, I kept thinking I had it worse than Job did 🤦♂️. He definitely had it worse. He also had the perspective to worship no matter what understanding that everything he had belonged to God, and that it was ok if the Lord gave or took.
Perspective is a great word for 2021.
I am consistent because this blog is an act of obedience to God. I want to remain faithful even in the little things such as writing each day and meeting with God at the same time. I read early on from Michael Hyatt the importance of sticking to a schedule and offering great content so your readers would know what to expect and when to expect it. I do my best to do that. Happy New Year. See you tomorrow morning, the Lord willing.
I’ve committed to post weekly, on Saturday mornings, but sometimes post more often, every other day, when I have extra time.
The biggest help for me has been to write steadily, but post sparingly. This way I always have posts in my drafts folder, and don’t feel pressured to create something on the spot.
Man I used to feel that pressure every day. I would panic as to what I would write. I kept a folder with ideas and stories in it that I could easily use. Thank God I was freed from that fear by changing how I approach God each day.
Keep writing steadily, trusting God to speak to you and through you, and you’ll continue to make a difference.
I’m so excited I bumped to this Devotional, as one who has seen the faultiness of a plan that doesn’t begin and end with God, I’m more grateful now to say that I desire to be in God’s plan doing simply His will, I have started a writing a journey I’m so scared about, but assured that God is calling me into this I can only bow my fears and depend,
Thanks Chris
Congratulations on your beginning of writing.
Here are some things I’ve learned:
1. Don’t measure your success by how many clicks you get. If one person is encouraged, it’s enough.
2. Consistency is key. Find a rhythm that works for you and stick with it.
3. Find a logical, repeatable process for your writing. Think I’m terms of templates that you can use each time you write.
4. Pick a word count length of how long it should be and stay within those parameters.
5. Use sites like unsplash.com and pexels.com to find free photos.
God bless you as you continue to follow His paths.
Excellent! Thank you for always being so helpful and offering tips for better blogging.
You’d make a great corporate trainer, but I suspect you already are.😉
Great guess! That’s exactly what I am.