[13]  Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” [14]  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. [15]  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” [16]  Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16

Last week I got hit with the question every husband fears from his wife. “Do you know what today is?” I began to break out in a cold sweat wondering if I had somehow forgotten a birthday or our anniversary. I could tell by the look in her eye that this was a pretty special day and I had only one shot at getting it right. I took a deep breath and prayed “God help me.” Realizing it was May I began to quickly backtrack in my mind and that’s when Divine intervention took place and I blurted out “Our prom night.” The smile she gave declared that I was right on the money. God is good.

28 years ago, on that prom night, I had dreams of moving back to L.A., launching a radio career, and laying on the beach. I was way off and thank God every day for the course my life has taken.

I’m a planner. I can tell you today what I’m doing on August 15th (coffee with a friend, Creative Team meeting, and sermon prep). Over the years I’ve discovered that God loves to change my plans. I’ve also discovered that His plans are way better than mine.

Most of us get frustrated when someone messes with our plans. When you make your plans do you consider God? How do you react when God messes with your plans? When your plans change do you ever consider that God could be at work?

I’ve never had a problem with God messing with my plans. He created me and knows me better than I know myself. He knows my strengths, weaknesses, gifts, and talents. He knows what brings me joy and what frustrates me.

Don’t get me wrong. I still make plans. I believe God wants us to make plans. I’ve just learned to give Him the final authority. So today I made some plans and said “If God wants me to, I will do that.”

Yes, that’s me, sporting a sweet mullet, with my beautiful prom date, Laura.