I am exactly where the Lord has called me to be and I am doing exactly what He has called me to do, but I haven’t always been where I am now.  I love telling people what God has done in my life and how He has changed me for the better and running into old friends is always interesting.  It seems like every time you go to Wal-Mart you are guaranteed to see someone you know.  Most people think it is great to hear what God is doing in and through me; some don’t know what to say.  However, the other day as I was sharing with someone about my plans to become a pastor; their response shocked me.  They said, “We have too many churches.”  I couldn’t get that statement out of my thoughts. 

Having a heart to do right and being willing to change has given me great peace in my life.  My faith in God has only increased because even though I’ve fallen short of God’s glory thousands of times, He did not write me off.  He welcomed me back with open arms, He set my feet upon the rock and He put a new song in my mouth.  I used to feel as though I had wasted years of my life until I began to see how God was continually recalculating my destiny.  Bad decision after bad decision was leading me to a place where I didn’t even know where I was or where I was going.  Many of us have GPS navigation; I named mine Lola.  Even after wrong turns and missed exits, she gives me a new way to reach my destination.  Many times I chose to ignore her because I thought I knew a better way or I didn’t trust her.  Like Lola, God is also giving us directions in life and many times we too think we know a better way.  Time after time, we end up no place close to where we thought we were headed, but when we turn  back to God, He will welcome us back and He will point us exactly where we need to go.  No experience we go through in life, good or bad, is ever wasted.  No matter how many years, miles, or reasons we go in the wrong direction, the instance we turn back to God, He will meet us where we are and He will show us the way.  The LORD disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:12)  Even mistakes we saw as dead ends and things meant for our harm, God takes and creates a new route and uses them for our good.  God sees the end from the beginning and our destiny and our God is bigger than our mistakes.   What we’ve done is not who we are; Who we put our faith in is what we are.  We are children of the Most High God and as a follower of Christ; nothing can separate us from the love of God.  He never gives up on us and He never turns His back when we call out His name.  When we think God is saying don’t, what God is really saying is, “Don’t hurt yourself.”  God knows the pain and hurt our bad decisions and wrong turns will lead to.  The Lord is full of grace and mercy and when we make mistakes, we should run to God, not from God.  Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  God knows where we are at all the time and He knows our thoughts; He knows us by name and He wants nothing more than for us to listen to His voice in our lives.  For me, it wasn’t hearing, “At your next available intersection, please make a U-Turn” it was, “Turn around now and don’t look back; I the Lord your God have made the way straight.  Trust in me and I will neither leave nor forsake you.”  I have and I always will trust the Lord with my future travels.