"Yeah" I reply, holding out my left hand for inspection. "Although it was 6 months ago now!"
I still can't believe that almost 6 months ago I was stood in a beautiful old church, surrounded by centuries of prayers and praise, answering a question that has bought so much joy to my life.
I like to spend a bit of time thinking over what God has taught me in the past and reminding myself of his faithfulness. A lot of my blog posts have consisted of just that, most prominently the amazing experience I had in Africa 15 months ago. As I thought over the last 6 months, I realised a few things God has taught me and shown me, and I hope to share a few of those things on here.
I pray they will encourage, challenge and inspire you, and help you meet with the Holy One, the God who deeply loves and cares for you. Give Him your full attention, and prepare yourself for the adventure of your life!
'You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail' Proverbs 19v21
I can vividly remember reading this verse for the first time in the silent study room in Ripley St Thomas Sixth Form Centre. It obviously had an impact, although like so much in the Bible, it can easily stay as head knowledge, and is a lot harder to live out than to agree with!
I think me and Roy first started talking seriously about marriage on a skiing trip last February. After that we talked about it fairly regularly, and naturally I was pretty excited, and often a little impatient! Although God had taught me pretty firmly a few months before that he was in control, I guess a big part of me wanted to know the where and whens. I prayed often about our marriage, and prayed that it would happen in God's timing.
Out of nowhere, I decided we were going to get engaged in July.
Yeah, that's right. I decided.
So on the 26th May when Roy got down on one knee, I was a little taken aback. Course, I still said yes, but I was so shocked that it hadn't happened in July. I started to ask 'God, is this right? I thought we were getting engaged in July?'
And God was probably up in heaven laughing, because all those times I had been praying for his will to be done, I had also been filling my head with 'Rachel's will'.
Thing is, girls like to plan. We do it naturally. Ask a girl what she's doing Christmas Day and she will be able to tell you, including when her boyfriend is coming down. Ask him, and he probably won't even know he was coming down to see her. She has already planned it, he just doesn't know it yet!
But often I think we plan because God isn't giving us the answer, and we don't feel secure without one. I honestly think I came up with 'July' because I needed to have the security that it would happen, and knowing when helped me prepare myself for the change.
The truth is of course, that ALL our security should come from God. Why trust our human bodies, when we have One who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end? One whose plans are unbelievably perfect? If we truly believe that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, why do we need to find security in our own plans?
I encourage you today to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of your life where you are seeking security away from Christ, be that plans, relationships or a career. Surrendering is tough, especially when it is a daily and even hourly experience, but when you feel frustrated or afraid, remember...
'Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may also be. And you know the way to where I am going' John 14v1-4
Let us never forget the treasure we have in Christ Jesus! May we be willing to surrender our earthly desires for the surpassing greatness of knowing Him!
