The Journey
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Prov 16:9 (NLT)

A young boy headed out to tryouts for his school play. It was the first time he'd ever stretched his fragile self-confidence so far, and his Mother was a little worried about how he'd handle it if he didn't get the part he wanted. When he came home all smiles, she was surprised to hear that the tryout didn't reward him with his dream part, yet he wasn't upset at all, just the opposite.

"What happened, son? I thought you'd be upset that you didn't get the part you wanted."

"I was for a minute Mom. But then they told me I was chosen to clap and cheer."

Grabbing a coke off the counter, he ran outside to play.

Mom just smiled.

Imagine growing up with a dream - a passionate desire that occupies almost every moment of free time. It could be a sport, like baseball, basketball, or soccer. Or it could be an activity like flying or acting. Then think about what you'd do (or what you did) when that dream died.

Growing up, I had two great passions - baseball, and airplanes. When I wasn't outside playing baseball, I was inside reading about airplanes, putting together models, and dreaming about flying.

As I grew, and the years went by, reality interfered with my dreams. By the spring of my 10th grade of high school, my name on a list left tacked to a cork bulletin board after practice meant I'd never be a major leaguer. And by the end of the 11th grade, my eyesight, and a letter from the Air Force Academy, told me I'd never become a fighter pilot.

But life is lived forward, isn't it. My plans didn't work out quite the way I thought they would. So many other joys, so many other dreams that have been fulfilled make it hard to even feel sad about the earlier ones that were ended. And God has His ways of making it up.

Now I'm a pastor of a church.

Every day, I see not just airplanes but fighters. Just two weeks ago, I got to see the Thunderbirds perform four times in one week, since our church is right under the flight path. And I get to know pilots. One of my friends flew F-16's, another I know flew F-4's. I see an average of 30-40 planes a day, and rarely does a day go by when I don't give one a thumbs up.

From where I sit, I'm across from a Little League field. So I see a lot of baseball. Even wander over to give the 9-10 year old kids support every now and then.

So I guess I was chosen to clap and cheer.

Friend maybe where you are, you're feeling a little depressed about what you haven't been able to accomplish that you thought you would. But take a minute and think about all those blessings that have been yours, some of which would have never happened if you'd had your way.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to thank God today for where He's led me, and look forward to where we are headed tomorrow. Another day on the Journey.

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.