I am always blown away by the people who have the “picture perfect life.” They make good grades all through school, go on to college with scholarships, take out little to no student loans, land a high-paying job fresh out of college, get married, buy a nice house, have 1-2 children, and appear to manage everything perfectly. Needless to say, that’s not me. “Not the path I would have chosen” might be a great title for my autobiography.
The path I would have chosen looks something like this – my current degrees (maybe add a doctorate) minus the student loan debt, having the perfect little family with a few kids, and maybe 1-2 pastorates that grew and thrived. While I wish life would have taken these turns, there are days when I struggle accept what is versus the life “I” planned. God didn’t want me to take a few of the turns I took, but He still uses me despite that.
When I started to type, I planned something different than how this will end. I believe God wants me to drive home the reality that He does not throw us away after one or even multiple wrong turns in life. Scripture is full of these stories. Peter, the man who denied Jesus 3 times, was the man God used to preach the gospel in Acts 2 and multitudes were saved. If denying Christ 3 times won’t take you out of the game, what will?
May I remind you that He who began the good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6)? Life may not have turned out the way you planned, but it’s not over! May this song encourage you!
Honest Thoughts from a Pastor 
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