The Lord Directs Our Steps

Proverbs 16:9  The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

I feel like I need to start this post with that verse.  I've really been thinking about Proverbs 16:9.  We make our plans.  We have our schedules.  But the Lord directs our steps. 

Last week I thought our family was moving into our new home.  I had a HUGE to do list in front of me at the beginning of the week.  There was nothing on my to-do list having to do with tornadoes.  However, my week turned out entirely differently than I had planned and I am reminded once again that our God is a great and mighty God! 

Terrible storms have ripped through our area and I am immensely grateful for the ways in which God has protected our family.  Our days spent without electricity (and television, and Internet, and email, and blogging, and even at times our cell phones) brought our family closer.  My husband actually said he was a tiny bit sad when our power came back on.  Crazy?  Yes!  But he said he enjoyed reading to the kids by candlelight each night and how he and I would sit up late talking not distracted by anything.  It was somewhat discouraging for me to throw away all of the food I had to throw out and it was frustrating when my cell phone went dead.  It was disappointing that we weren't able to move into our new home and difficult finding ice for our cooler we were eating out of.  It did get bad when everyone was running out of underclothes since I couldn't do the washing for 4 days (that NEVER happens here).  BUT...all that added together and multiplied 100 times pales in comparison to what so many in our area are dealing with.  We have friends still without electricity today.  We've heard of a family that lost their dad and a woman who lost her 17 year old son and her mother.  We've seen the destruction of property as we have driven around our city and nearby areas.  We are keenly aware that things could be so much worse for us. 

We are praising God for His mercy and His protection over us.  I'm glad that He directs our steps.  Our children learned great lessons over the last week.  We all did.  We were brought closer to God and closer as a family.  Without His direction of our steps this might not be so.  I planned a move.  God planned differently.  I am thankful to my God.  No matter what, I trust Him. 

I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.  HEBREWS 2:13