Many are the plans in a man's heart

but it is the Lord's plans that prevail

Proverbs 19:21

When I first gave my heart to Jesus years ago, I assumed that I would receive direction from God for my life by hearing a loud, thunderous voice saying "This is the way daughter, now walk in it". Needless to say, that didn't happen but along the way I've watched the plans of the Lord unfold for my life step by step as I was obedient to what I heard...

FROM PRE-MED TO LAB TECH

Since I got saved in my sophomore year in college, I automatically assumed that I was called into the ministry and was pursuing a Biology degree in error. Of course I prayed for signs and confirmations if I was indeed doing the wrong thing and I asked God to redirect my steps, but I heard nothing. Finally I gave up and figured if God wasn't telling me anything maybe it was possible that I was headed in the right direction.

In my junior year, my advisor offered me a great opportunity: I was given the chance to enroll in a summer program at UW and since they actively recruited minority pre-med students from our school, I was guaranteed a place in their medical school if I attended their summer program. I couldn't believe that I was being handed this golden opportunity! Other people were fighting to get into UW and here the opportunity was falling right into my lap. I listenend to the news gratefully but was afraid to tell my advisor that I felt that the Lord was leading me in another direction. I mean that's not the kind of thing you tell someone who believes in God but who may not necessarily see the benefit of allowing Him to direct your steps. Needless to say, I refused despite his pleas to convince me otherwise and for some reason, I began to have this burning desire to work in a lab. You may not think much of that but I thought it was hilarious because my lab grades were as bad as my math grades (C's were horrible for those of us who were pre-med). On top of that, I absolutely hated my chemistry and physics labs and therefore could not figure out why on earth I had the yearning to work in one!

After I graduated from college, I was still a little unsure about being able to find a lab job. By this time, I had been to various job fairs and talked to a lot of recruiters and each of them told me I needed more education and certification before I could work in ANY lab. That was depressing news since I was desperate to find a job so I could begin paying off my school loans. Despite the naysayers, however, I could not shake off the desire to become a lab tech.

GET RID OF ME

After graduation I remained jobless for the next few months (it would be 9 months total). I thought to myself "God I must've missed You somewhere. Everyone's telling me I can't work in a lab without certification. I don't want to go back to school; I want to get rid of my bills!"

I decided to fast and pray to get rid of my desire to do lab work. Ironically, as soon as I broke my fast that desire to work in a lab gripped my heart ten times stronger. So what did I do? I decided to fast and pray again since obviously this was a pretty big stronghold!

Ha! If I only knew then what I know now:) I'm not only a successful lab tech today but within the first couple of years at the lab I received three promotions and worked my way up into a tech position. The funny thing was (and this is true) all the techs in the lab used to tell me "No one ever moves into a tech position here unless one of these older techs die off or retire!" Well no one died off, but a lady relocated within the company and my supervisors had to convince me to take the position since my prior work proved to them that I would be a great technologist! I didn't have to get certified or go through more schooling to receive that promotion! Isn't it awesome that what's impossible with man is possible with GOD?

TO HULA OR NOT TO HULA

I hope you are seeing the point I'm trying to make. Rather than hearing the big, booming voice from Heaven tell me of His plans for my life the Holy Spirit began directing me inwardly by putting desires in my heart and leading me step by step. Here's another story to illustrate this point.

I grew up in Hawaii but I was extremely shy as a young girl. My mom had tried to get us involved with hula, but I would not have it even though I used to love watching my cousin dance. As I was nearing the end of my senior year in college, I started to have this desire to dance hula. I thought "Geez what the heck is that? I don't even know anyone who dances hula here and I don't want to dance either" but the feeling would not leave me alone. I finally shared it with my mom who thought it would be a great activity for me to get involved in.

Mom worked at the PX at the time and she ran across a girl who moved here temporarily from Oahu. One day they were talking and the girl mentioned that her anty taught hula. Well, mom got so excited that she asked for her aunt's number and address and passed it onto me. I went to a practice session and loved the teacher and the students immediately. It seemed like a great opportunity but when I came home, I told mom I didn't think it was the right timing since I didn't have a job to pay for the cost of joining. She offered to cover the costs but because my parents were starting their business at that time I didn't want to add to their financial stress.

Later, I thanked the dance instructor but told her I wouldn't be able to join her halau. Weeks went by but the desire to dance didn't go away; in fact, it intensified. One night as I was talking to a good friend I said to her, "This desire to dance is so strong in me that if I don't find a way to make this happen I feel like I'm going to explode!" She laughed but I was serious. NO JOKE--the very next night at church, a girl we had just met a few weeks prior invited my sister and I to dance with her family in their polynesian dance group and of course I said YES! Not only were the fees minimal but eventually I didn't have to pay at all since I became an officer for the group.

Long story short--through that dance group, I met my husband (brother to the girl who invited us to dance) and my sister met her husband as well since he performed with a New Zealand dance team whom my in-laws would host when they did their U.S. tours.

The Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of directing us not only through the Word but also through the desires He places in us (aka the "inward prompting"). Granted, we have to be in-filled with Him in order to be able to hear Him, but this journey with HIm has been a beautiful unfolding that was and is not dependent on what people around me said or say. If I had ignored His quiet voice years ago and listened to everyone tell me that it was IMPOSSIBLE to work in a lab without more schooling, I would've missed the wonderful opportunities and friendships that Yahweh had waiting for me.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

I write this not only as encouragement to you but as a reminder to myself as well...He is calling me to leave my career as a lab tech. I've happily invested nine years not only into the company but into the people we've helped by doing quality work as well as into my co-workers who I hope have been able to see the integrity and love of Christ in me. I'm not nervous about leaving since I know my assignment there is done...I'm VERY excited about the new journey we are taking together!

If you are at a crossroads in your life, who better to have walking with you than the Lord of Creation? Yahweh not only wants to be a part of your journey but He wants to weave all the pieces of your life together into a beautiful tapestry. Allow Him to orchestrate every detail of your life by asking Jesus to come into your heart and to wash you with His Blood. Then He will give you the Holy Spirit to walk with you and empower you while you are living out your dreams on earth:)