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Proverbs 19:21 – The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. (NRSV)
Since I was a child, it has been a dream of mine to be a writer. I wrote my first poem at age ten and continued writing throughout my teens. During my university studies, some of my work was published in one of the campus magazines.
After graduating, I started writing a novel while I drifted from job to job. When the opportunity presented itself to teach at a private school, I accepted the position without much thought.
I was optimistic that I would be able to write in my free time; however, my career took over my life. I worked 80 hours a week, on weekends and in the school holidays. My half-finished manuscript lay forgotten and started to accumulate dust, along with my childhood aspirations.
When a diagnosis of burnout forced me to leave the teaching profession, I knew that I had to make a lifestyle change. This time, I consciously sought God's advice through prayer and petition. In response, He put it on my heart that I should become a Christian writer and blogger.
To be honest, this was not the answer that I was expecting to hear. However, with the gift of hindsight, I realized that making decisions independent from God hadn't worked out well for me in the past. Hebrews 13:5 states that God will never fail us nor forsake us. Maybe, the time had now come for me to act in faith and follow God's way.
Fast forward to today, and I am currently sitting in my favourite café enjoying a steaming cup of coffee, while on my laptop, I am writing an article for a Christian magazine. Choosing to trust God and launch a new career as a Christian writer and blogger has changed my life. I relish being my own boss, and being a creator invigorates me. Stress and drudgery are things of the past.
I am so grateful to God for revealing His purpose for my life. It has taught me that His way is always designed with our well-being in mind, because He loves us and knows what's best for us.
Friends, if making your own decisions hasn't worked out well for you in the past, maybe it's now time to choose God's way. God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly over all that we ask or think, so let's trust in Him and His process of doing things. He will always keep our best interests at heart and make all things beautiful.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, You are the way, the truth, and the life. Teach us not to rely on our own understanding, but to trust in the wonderful plan that You have for our lives, for only You know what is best for us. Amen.
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Thanks a lot, loving, good advice!
Thanks, Madeline, for sharing this blessing.
Beautiful story and great challenge, Madeline.
Great post, Madeline! So glad you found your true calling!
Well done Madeline, a great testimony concerning stepping out in faith.
Blessings.
Thank you for sharing your life with us, Madeline. Blessings on your journey today.
Hi Madeline,
Another great devotional.
May God continue bless you and use you mightily for His kingdom purposes.
Thank you, Madeline, for sharing your writing journey with us. Learning to trust the Lord is an ongoing thing, isn’t it? But the Lord is good all the time especially in those times of questioning His will! Blessings.
Madeline I am so glad you sought the Lord for the plans of your life and He gave you the desires of your heart. God is using your writings to touch, heal, restore, encourage and refresh, multitudes everywhere. Thank you Amen!
Hello Madeline,
Thank you so much for this devotional. Yes, it is our loving Lord who knows what is best for us and we must be patient and remember that in His time He will guide us on the right path.
Blessings for your lovely writings,
(B.C.)
I am going through the same refining you mention, after a burnout earlier this year. Knowing you are on the right path is something that matters to God. I’m finding joy again, have a richer prayer life and am seeing the fruit of the spirit more evident in my daily response to life. Thank you for sharing, God bless your work and rest time.
(B.C. Canada)
Dear Madeline:
So beautifully said! Thank you for being such a wonderful inspiration to me. You are truly blessed.
Thanks also for letting me know about the different sites too. They look great. I am excited for this to go through and pray that people will be conscious of God’s love for them wherever they are.
Dear Madeline,
For some of us writing is a sideline to a career to earn a living.
With prayer for your present and your future.
Jesus is the light of life. God bless you as you choose to go God’s way. God promised to uphold us with his own right hand.
Jesus loves us so much that he gave his life to save us for eternity.
Love your devotion.
Best wishes and many blessings to you.
Thank you, Madeline, for your thoughts.
They give me a lift to my day for remembering the truth and the way.
Wow, this was so informative, and I really enjoyed it. I too used to write poems when I was a little girl. In fact, mom would say that is the only thing she would like for Mother’s Day was a poem. This was encouraging for others also I think since burnout can happen to anyone at any time. I trust as you enjoyed that steaming hot cup of coffee you were blessed.
God bless.
Even in the small decisions I have found it wise to ask for God’s guidance; as in buying a used car.
Thank you for sharing this testimony. You certainly make a big contribution to PresbyCan and it is special to read your writings.
You certainly have a way of writing in a clear and meaningful way.
You have certainly inspired me to do more reading and sharing. Blessings.