Plans for Your Success
By Z Zoccolante
(Listen to the audio of this wonderful post in the blue box below!)
“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 love my dog. It’s my first dog ever and she’s altered life as I knew it. I move plans so that I can be home to take her out to potty in time. I shift my schedule so that she’s not left alone for too long. I take her everywhere I can, and to the park almost everyday.
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I almost positive I’m known as the snobby girl at the park, because 90% of the time I bring work instead of socializing with other humans. One-day I even brought my laptop and one of the regular patrons asked me somewhat incredulously, “Wow, that must be pretty important what you’re writing? I’ve never seen someone bring a laptop!” I smiled, simply told him I was a writer, and sat on the bench to type.
The reason I make a huge effort to take her to the park is because I love her, and I know that it makes her so happy to run and play with the other doggies. She has so much fun and it brightens my heart to see her happy, her little tongue flopping out of her mouth, and her tail conducting a symphony no one hears.
Before we go to the park, she goes potty so she doesn’t accidentally go out of sheer excitement all over my car’s backseat.
The other day, I took her out and she insisted on walking around to sniff every inch of grass. I tolerated it for a minute and then told her we were going and began to walk with her leash. “Let’s go home,” I said.
She stood her ground, like she does sometimes and stood like a statue, all four paws leaning back against her leash. She looked at me as though I were trying to take away her birthday.
As I called her, and nudged (well, let’s be honest, pulled) her along, she tried to smell every bush we passed as though her life depended on it.
“Ugh. Little dog I love,” I thought, “Sometimes . . .”
The funny thing, is that we were going home to get my bag so we could go to the park. However, all she knew was that we were outside now, and home was inside. where there were no more fun smells.
As I hurried her along, I thought about God. How many times might God be pulling me along, because he has something great planned for me?
God knows that in 20 minutes I could be in the park, running and happy and wagging my tail. Yet, because I can’t see the park yet, I think that God’s trying to take something away from me, that he’s pulling me away from sunshine and flowers, and all the things I want to see.
But really God has a better plan. Just like I was pulling my dog along, because I knew we were going to the park, God sometimes pulls us along even when we plant our feet and don’t want to go.
God loves us. He tells us that he knows the plans he has for us, and that they’re good. He has good things for us. He wants to make us prosper, give us an awesome future, and fill us with hope.
In other words, God longs to take us to the park and give us treats, and let us frolic in warm, summer joy.
God says that he loves us and that he wants to give us good things.
Forward Locomotion:
If you’re going through a difficult time in your life right now, lean into God. He’s your friend and wants to listen to your tears, your anger, or anything you want to share. He wants to heal your heart and give you good things. He wants to fill your present, and your future, with hope.
Tough Time Lifelines:
In the toughest times in my life, here are a few things that help me (obviously modify for your personal needs and desires):
- Listen to Christian worship music (and sing)
- Read the bible
- Give thanks/Count your blessings (write down what you are thankful for)
- Surround yourself with loving & supportive friends
- Ask people to pray for you
- Talk to God
- Cry
- Scream in your car (with the window up), or underwater at the beach
- Read a daily devotional (one I currently love).
- Walk in nature (take your shoes off and walk in green grass)
- Find a TV show that zones you out of your life for an hour (lovely, sweet magic),
- Enjoy a yummy hot drink before bed
- Light a candle and give your worries to God
* & once again – Count your blessings
And remember, God is for us and can guide us through any storms.
“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
With Love,
Z :)
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