Today my devotional was quite telling…”If you’re finding it difficult to balance your convictions and your job [life], don’t let yourself get frustrated. Don’t doubt yourself. Follow the TRUTH, fighting the good fight of faith that you know is right.”
Later I was reading about Abraham – oh how he waited for G_d to fulfill a dream! G_d is so faithful – He gave Abraham the son he longed for. And then G_d asked him to sacrifice the dream – his son – his joy… Abraham didn’t understand why G_d fulfilled a dream and then asked him to give it up – he didn’t need to understand! Abraham’s willingness goes far beyond obedience – beyond understanding – his willingness came from his complete trust in G_d.
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I can’t help thinking about the changes happening in my own life. No, G_d hasn’t asked me to physically sacrifice the precious gifts He’s given me; but He is asking me to let go… willingly give Him the reigns of my life – to move beyond a desire to be obedient – to move even though I lack understanding – to trust Him completely.
Stormy Omartian wrote a prayer that really spoke to my heart today:
“Lord, I know You ask me to surrender everything to You – including the dream in my heart. And even when that dream is from You, You still ask me to let go of my hold on it. So I surrender every dream in my heart to You right now. I don’t want to cling to something You will not bless, or give up on something that is Your will for my life.”
More often than not, I can’t put the puzzle pieces of life together on my own…I can’t hold on to the corner pieces or the few that fit together and wait until it’s convenient or it makes sense to trust Him. The only way to embrace His plans for me is to fully embrace Him.
I’m reminded life is like a parade…at best I have a retrospective view – I’m at street level seeing only what’s in front of me, fragmented memories of the past, and certainly not what’s ahead. Only G_d sees the entire parade: beginning, middle, and end.
G_d speaks into my life in so many different ways…Scripture, devotionals, testimonies, family, friends…the list goes on and on…it’s as if He never gives up saying, “See Celeta? You can trust Me! I have great plans for you! I’ll see you through – I won’t let you down – I never have and I never will – I promise.”
Celeta's Journey 
Your words of encouragement are like a crystal spring running through the middle of a dessert.
Oops, that would be desert. What a mess a spring in a dessert would be!