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Think for a moment about some of the major milestones in your life. Do you ever reflect on what happened the day before this significant day in your life? In many cases you knew the day was coming and you were preparing. The day before your graduation, the day before your wedding, the day before a milestone birthday or anniversary.
In many instances, if it's the day before your child is going to be born, you don't know it in advance. You likely start preparing for their arrival months ahead and in the last weeks, you're mostly ready. You are often just waiting to be surprised by the day when your child will be born. Chap and I are planners in life and in most cases, over prepared and in my case overpacked with any possible item we might need.
On June 20 six years ago, the day before Will was born, we were not prepared. We had moved into a new house the week before. We were finishing up projects, starting to unpack, and enjoying our new surroundings with a month before his due date.
We went to a wedding for two dear friends on the Chattahoochee in Roswell. It was a very meaningful service outdoors overlooking the river followed by a reception inside. We were excited about the delicious food and time to fellowship with friends. Before I could sit down to enjoy our dinner, everything changed. My water broke and we suddenly realized that we were not prepared for a trip to the hospital. There was not a single item set up or in most cases even unpacked for Will, and no hospital bag or car seat installed.
You can imagine our anxiousness that day realizing we were not prepared. God's timing was different from ours and a major milestone in our lives was approaching much quicker than anyone had anticipated. In this moment, we both realized that God was in control and we cannot do this on our own. A whole village of family and friends stepped up in the days and weeks to come to help us prepare for Will to join our us. From his first day on earth, we have felt the prayers, love and support from a great cloud of witnesses that have helped us to raise Will in the faith.
Now each year the day before Will's birthday, I think about this experience and it reminds me that God has a plan and God provides. I would invite you today to be open to God's plan for your life. Listen for ways that God is teaching you through unexpected or unplanned experiences.
And he will prepare the way for the Lord. He will have the same spirit and power that Elijah had. He will bring peace between parents and their children. He will teach people who don't obey to be wise and do what is right. In this way, he will prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.
-Luke 1:17
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