Our Plans, God's Plans

In ~Romans 8:28~ we read, “We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.” Often times, we have our plans and God has His plans. Sometimes we feel like we just hit a brick wall at 120 miles per hour. Yet the Lord's plan continues. For me, Sunday morning begins on Saturday as I prepare everything I need, to have ready for the next day. I was totally prepared right down to even moving our clocks one hour back the evening before. I planned on arriving at church at 7:50 AM, unlocking all the doors, making copies of the music and placing it on the music stands. I would have the sound system up and running, batteries changed in the microphones and guitars all tuned up, with everything tested. After the morning service, I had everything packed and ready for our family group to travel to and sing at the nursing home as we always do the first Sunday of the month. Every detail was worked out in my mind. After breakfast at 5:30 AM, I was pouring some cat food in our cat's dishes, when I experienced a sharp and devastating pain in my left hip and leg! I could barely move let alone walk. Soon I found I could not sit, recline, or even lay down in bed without the pain becoming even more unbearable! I looked at my watch and thought, at least church is almost 3 hours later, maybe this unexplained pain will end before then, but it only became more severe. Suddenly my plans were completely changed! I began praying until a few hours later when I began sending messages that I would not be able to unlock the church or even be there. We can have the best intentions, but we can also fail in our attempts. The Lord said he'd never fail us, yet we can fail many times just because we are not able to accomplish what we intended. I was able to watch our church service online and also the service from Fernandina Beach that I watch every Sunday after our service has ended. But what were God's plans for me in all of this? Soon I received 2 messages on Messenger I would have missed otherwise. Both needed attention and prayer. Both of my friends needed to know I was praying for them and would continue to pray and help in any way I could. The Lord knew my wife and kids would be able to accomplish the church music, and also singing at the nursing home in the afternoon. He changed my plans in order for me to be available to respond to needed prayer requests...not after church, but right away. My wife informed me today that she brushed our collie as I mostly do that every day. It was then, that I remembered how and why I was in so much pain! The day before, his “double row rake style” comb had fallen off the home office counter, and I stepped on it with my left foot, cause me to jerk backward suddenly, stoving my right hip joint. When the Lord suddenly stops you in your tracks and changes your plans, it's for a reason. He is the vine and we are the branches. Keep baring fruit and always be ready for His change in directions. His plans are higher than our plans....