Sometimes God just has other plans...

So the last few weeks have been crazy. I went to Florida for Spring Break. I was gone for 10 days. Before I left, I was suckered into driving my car on the trip. I don't know how to tell people no, so when I was asked if I could drive I said yes.

I took my car in to make sure it was safe to drive to Florida and back. I figured that was a smart idea since I  was involved in an accident with a semi in January. I took it in for an oil change and a front end alignment, and ended up spending about $650 on repairs. I needed new ball joints, an alignment, a new fuel filter, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, spark plugs, etc. There were some things that I wasn't able to have repaired due to lack of money. To make a long story short, I spent all of the money I had saved for a passport to get my car fixed and then some.

The trip itself was amazing. I met more awesome people, and crossed two things off my bucket list. I got to go to Disney's Magic Kingdom and I was also baptized.

Men of War
© Janette Marie Noe
All Rights Reserved

My baptism was pretty epic. I was baptized on Friday, the last day of the trip. It was a beach day. We got to the beach and there were jellyfish everywhere. Man of War to be specific. Which apparently hurt really bad if you get stung. Luckily I did not. My baptism was supposed to happen at 3pm. At 2pm the storm clouds started rolling in and by 2:30 it was pouring. My entire group left the beach.

I felt really defeated all day. It was like Satan was trying to keep my baptism from happening. I went back to the church we were staying at and had a good cry. I was actually pretty miserable the rest of the day. We later decided to do my baptism despite of the rain and jellyfish. It was totally epic. I was baptized in the dark, while it was raining, surrounded by jellyfish and huge crashing waves.

It was such a victory. It was like God was telling me that despite of the storms we face in life and despite all of the obstacles in my way, he can make anything happen. It wasn't exactly what I had planned, but it worked out the way that HE had planned it.

My Baptism! 

God opened a huge door for me this week as well.  Leadership Training is a discipleship program the church I am attending holds every summer for 7 weeks. It teaches you how to overcome the struggles we face in everyday life, and live every day for Christ. It also teaches you how to share the gospel with others. I have been struggling with whether or not to attend, mostly because of the cost of the program. It is $675. In reality, it's not that much money. After spending so much on my car though, I couldn't justify it. I talked with a few people on my trip and they all said I should do it and that it would be worth the money. They also said it would help me in India.

By the end of the trip I decided there was no way I could do it, simply because I couldn't afford it. I received an email last night from one of my trip leaders saying someone had decided to anonymously sponsor me so that I could go to LT this summer. I had talked with people on the trip about LT and that money was an issue, but it was all off-handed and I definitely wasn't expecting someone to sponsor me.

I couldn't turn the offer down! It was like God opened another door, and provided me with another opportunity. I am truly blessed!!! Lately it has been like any time I have an opportunity for something that will bless my trip and my plans, God opens a door. Sometimes they are little doors, and sometimes they are huge. But they just seem to keep opening...

God has really been teaching me the last few weeks to trust in him. Things keep happening and I keep forgetting to trust in his ultimate plan. And then I get these reminders like "Look! I know what's best for you and you need to trust in my timing." So, I'm working on it. I need to remember to trust in him in all things. His plan and his timing will always be what is best...

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths."
~Proverbs 3:5-6