What If Your Messy Life Is Exactly the Adventure God Planned?

Introduction

At 52 years old, some days I feel like I’ve learned a few things—and other days, I find myself looking around for an “adultier” adult. Life is constantly changing—sometimes for the better, and sometimes in ways that knock the wind out of you. But one thing I know for sure after five decades on this earth is that life is an adventure—a mix of the wonderful and the hard.

Traveling Adventures

If you know me, you know I love to travel. And while traveling with my husband is my favorite, my sister-in-law Shannon is a close second. We call our trips “adventures” because, well, something always happens.

• The time I thought I booked our rental car at the airport—but it was actually downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

• The time an extension ladder flew off a truck in Nashville and slid across the highway toward us (thankfully, I swerved and missed it).

• The time we were trying to find her friend’s wedding without an address and just drove around looking for a church setting up for a wedding—and we found it!

We always end up laughing more than stressing. And that mindset? It’s been a gift in life too.

When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned

Nothing in my life has gone exactly the way I imagined. There have been bumps, detours, and even full-on roadblocks. I’ve had moments when God’s “no” left me confused—especially when I thought I was asking for something good.

Losing our son Mark Allen at 38 weeks was one of those moments. That wasn’t the adventure I signed up for. I was angry, heartbroken, and questioning everything. But even in the pain, God never left me.

Seeing God in the Sorrow

It took time—years, really—but I can now see God’s fingerprints in that season. Through the people He placed around me. Through the scriptures that comforted me. Through the space He gave me to grieve. One day, I decided I didn’t want to stay angry. I asked God to use my pain for good.

And He did.

One of my closest friends experienced a stillbirth exactly one year after we lost Mark. God allowed me to walk with her through that valley. That changed me deeply.

Since then, He’s blessed me with two more children, both beautiful parts of my life’s adventure.

A New Way to See Your Story

Maybe you need a new lens today.

We all get caught up in the hard things—the grief, the disappointments, the curveballs. But what if, instead of seeing those as obstacles, you saw them as chapters in the grand adventure God is writing for you?

Friend, faith doesn’t grow when life is easy. It grows in the valleys—when we have no choice but to trust God to carry us. I don’t know about you, but I’m stubborn. Sometimes it takes hitting a wall to remember that I’m not in control.

But God is. And His adventure for you has meaning.

You’re Invited to the Greatest Adventure

Your first and most important purpose in life is to have a relationship with Jesus. If you don’t have that yet, but feel that tug on your heart, you can begin with a simple prayer:

Dear Jesus, I’m tired of trying to live life on my own terms. I know I’ve sinned, and there’s nothing I can do to fix it. But You came, died, and rose again to pay that debt for me. Please take my life, lead me, and guide me. Help me walk out the beautiful adventure You’ve created just for me. In Your Name, Amen.

The second purpose? To live for Him. And your path won’t look like anyone else’s—because God created you uniquely. The story He’s writing for you is one-of-a-kind.

What If…?What if you embraced the unknowns, the detours, even the losses—as part of an epic journey that God is using for your good?

• What dreams would you dare to dream?

• Who would you boldly speak to?

• What might happen if you let go of fear and clung to faith?

The Creator of the universe walks with you. His power is limitless. His love is unshakable. And because you belong to Him, His provision is yours too.

Final Thought

What if the hard parts of your story are the very pieces God will use to do something beautiful?

Something to think about.