Fate? Destiny? Divine Intervention? All of the above?

I've been reflecting quite a bit in the past few months.  Thinking about my parents, my family, my friends, my challenges, my accomplishments, and of course, my failures. 

As I'm looking back, over the roads I've traveled and I see all of these bumps, and I see hills, valleys, dead ends, turn arounds, cut offs, short cuts, left turns, right turns, and I see where I am now.

I remember going down all of those streets, all of the intersections that led me to where I am today and I begin to wonder what it was that drove me to make the choices that I made.  Each turn.  Each road.  And sometimes, what made me stop or turn back?

Yet I realize, had I missed any single hill, not turned around at the right time, turned right instead of left, I would have missed what I have right here in front of me.

I would have jumped on the freeway and avoided the bumpy dirt road to Jacob.  I wouldn't have kept driving on the wrong street and gone right on by the man who has my heart.  I would have turned right to avoid the discomfort of taking a left and missed the amazing women I met through this blog.  I would have continued down a dead end and missed reconciliation in meeting an old friend for lunch.  So many instances in my life where I got out (or in) just in time.  How does that happen?  How can you explain it away?

I do believe your life is mapped out before you.  I believe the route is planned out before the stork leaves the nest.  I believe God has it all taken care of for you before He's even done with your creation.  I believe that every step I've taken and every new step ahead of me is all a part of His plan.  Each failure or mistake  is behind every accomplishment.

Every day I am thankful for God's plan.  Thankful for the people He's brought me, the people He's moved me on from, and the people He's taken to be with him. Thankful for where he's taken me and the directions he's given.