How to Trust God When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn

Have you ever had a moment that looked nothing like what you imagined it would be?

Maybe it was a holiday, a milestone, or a life season that played out differently than you had prayed for. Maybe you found yourself holding both joy and grief at the same time, wondering,

“How did we get here?”

That was me at my daughter’s graduation. It looked so much different than I thought it would.

I always imagined we’d be there together as a unit, one cohesive happy family. Instead, I was on one side of the field and her dad across the field on the other side. The graduation music started, the graduates began walking out, we stood, we cheered, and then came the tears.

Happy tears of a proud mom. Sad tears of an ex-wife thinking, “how did we get here?” My sunglasses covered my eyes as I tried to get a grip.

God held me in that moment.

This is my new season and while things might have changed God never has. For so many years I fought for my marriage to give my daughters what I never had, a happy family. There are no villains in this story, just broken people who went their separate ways. And while I can’t change how things played out I can still give my daughter a wonderful and invaluable gift.

A mother who knows who she is in Christ. The gift of a mom who stands steadfast and unwavering in the peace and joy that God has promised her.

And while the family dynamic is different, I can absolutely give her a happy family.

When she walks into her home, there is peace, there are home-cooked meals and decorations for every occasion. Joy lives here because God lives here.

While people and life circumstances change, we don’t have to allow them to change us - not for the worse anyway.

The enemy has stolen enough from me and I won’t give him another ounce. He won’t have my thoughts, he doesn’t get to steal these joyous occasions, and he won’t stop me from enjoying - yes enjoying this season.

I don’t know what life looks like for you, but if you’ve found yourself in a similar, “how did we get here?” moment - know that you are not alone.

This season is no surprise to God. I hope you give all those hard moments to Him and let Him comfort you through them. Knowing Jesus has never been sweeter, and I wouldn’t be able to experience this level of His goodness without heartache.

Here are some of my favorite verses:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." |

"Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces." |

"Then Jesus wept." |

The “Jesus wept.” verse is tapped to my mirror. It’s a reminder that I can cry. I don’t have to pretend to always have it all together. I have a Savior who experienced heartache too and He doesn’t judge me for my “how did we get here?” moments.

I can take it all to Him, and He’ll gently guide me through. He’ll also do the same for you! Let's pray.

God,

Thank you for my friend, you know what they’re going through. You know every hard moment, and you love us despite our imperfections and questions. Help us to look to you and trust that your plan for our lives is better than ours. In Jesus name, Amen.

Love,

Your friend,

Reyna