Monday, September 17, 2007

Life's Turns and Destiny

I was just thinking again about where we are and how we got here. How one decision lead our entire family and changed our destiny. I am always amazed at how things work out.

When we first got married, we packed up everything we had and moved to southern Florida. We became active in a church there and the Pastor and Assistant Pastor were both from Texas. We felt God's Hand on our lives and decided to go into some sort of Christian work. They recommended a school in Texas.

Neither of us felt worthy of the pastorate, but we wanted to help people, so we thought about getting our degree in Christian counseling and opening a practice to help people. Since I was told that I could not have children, we thought it was a wonderful idea. We wanted to do counseling together.

We made plans and took steps and were accepted to the school in Texas. (there are lots and LOTS of details I'm leaving out....) While we were there we became friends with a couple and he had grown up in Tulsa and talked about Oral Roberts University and how beautiful it was. He encouraged us to take whatever opportunity we needed to visit there.

So.... skip a few years... (and LOTS more details) We have moved back to Georgia and now entered the ministry full time. We have 2 children and I'm pregnant with the third... (the doctors were wrong and God is good!) My husband graduated from college with a degree in psychology and we made plans to go to seminary. His first choice was Oral Roberts University. We could never get it out of our minds what our friend had told us years earlier.

We moved to Tulsa in June of 1979. Our third child was born while we were there. We stayed only summer and fall semesters. Then we had an opportunity to move back to Georgia to a pastorate that was only 45 minutes from my parents. So, in January of 1980 we left and seminary was continued at Emory University.

We were only in Tulsa less than 6 months. During that time, our oldest son, who was 4, decided that he wanted to go to college there. He never changed his mind. Our second son followed three years later, then the daughter who was born there also went and then our youngest followed suit. The older three married people who also went to ORU.

So, a decision to move to Texas to go to school introduced us to ORU. Then the decision to go to seminary at ORU - even though it was only 6 months - determined the destiny and lives of our family. All our children live there and 3 married there.

Man plans his ways, but God orders his steps...
God knows the plans He has for us - plans to prosper us and to give us a future.


Somehow we always think that we are in control. But, it is very important to be aware of the decisions we make. We do not know the eternal consequences and the lives and destinies that are changed because of one friendship, one decision. God knows. He plans. He leads. He guides. He ordains. Praise His Name!

5 comments:

LIFESPEAKER said...

You are right. It is amazing how God uses our decisions, that we think we were in control of making. I'm glad he bruoght you to where I live so we could become friends. Of course He moved us all the way across the country to be here.

Merrie said...

His goodness and mercy is amazing! I'm thankful, too. :)

Unknown said...

Yes, Praise His name! You were told you couldn't have children? Boy, God really proved them doctors wrong didn't he? LOL I just love ya'll and miss ya'll so much! Now would be a really good time to have y'all around!

Sarah said...

I am always amazed at God's plan when and while it develops. I really does make you think just how important listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance. Thank you mom, for making great decisions as a parent to push each of us closer to our destiny!

Anonymous said...

Great blog! God is so good! Thank you for sharing your story.

R. Buckley
Chairman, ORU Alumni Association.