My oldest daughter was getting married in 5 days and wedding paraphernalia was strewn everywhere throughout the house. My husband had just lost his job the week before, somewhat unexpectedly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To top it off, we put our house on the market the week before the wedding, requiring us to keep it immaculately clean, which is hard enough on a normal day, let alone during wedding planning.  Oh, and did I also mention my 17-year-old son had decided to join the Navy, and was just waiting to get the OK to select his job and pick a date to ship to boot camp?  Needless to say, I was feeling a little stressed. 

Now I am usually a cool, level-headed person. In fact, I kind of thrive on stressful situations. You see, I am a Labor and Delivery nurse on a very busy and high acuity L&D floor and when things go wrong on L&D, they can go really wrong really fast. Sometimes you have minutes to save a baby or mom’s life.  As the charge nurse of the floor, I love being at all the emergencies, resuscitating babies, and helping stop a mom from hemorrhaging, but in my own personal life right now, I was doing anything BUT embracing the stress. And while, on the outside, I was calm and collected, I was running at max capacity internally. 

The funny thing was, I was elated for my daughter, who had been blessed with God sending her a wonderful very-soon-to-be husband. I was overjoyed that my son had decided what path to start journeying down as he began his adult life. And I was excited and nervous about what God had in store for my husband and I and our younger four children as we looked at the beginning of an adventure, traveling cross country for period of time.

So, what was it then? What was causing my angst? As I began to ponder this question, I noticed a new sign in our subdivision, “Blind Curve Ahead”.  On the main road in our subdivision is this curve that as you come up to it, you can’t see around it. There are trees and big boulders off to  the right-hand side and on the left-hand side you’ll be met by unexpected oncoming traffic (usually driving in the middle of the road). Despite the speed limit being 15mph, it is a nerve-wrecking curve, simply because you can’t see what’s coming.

This is a perfect parallel to what was happening in my life. God had brought my family and I to what felt like a “blind curve”. While I trusted that God had a good plan for my life, because it is a truth in the Bible, I couldn’t quite see what was coming and that caused anxiety. Now my uncertainty did not stem from the concern that God would lead me down a path of destruction or sorrow; it was simply the not knowing part. It was the putting my faith into action; practicing it, growing it, and allowing God to stretch it.

So, as I sat feeling sorry for myself and a bit resentful, I thought about that “Blind Curve Ahead” sign. I was reminded of a story in the Bible in Mark 8:22-25:

“Then He came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So, He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking”. Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.”

We have all heard this story about Jesus healing the blind man. But have you ever put yourself in the blind man’s shoes? The blind man could not see Jesus, obviously. He could not see where Jesus was leading him. The Bible does not say that the man dug his heels in, kicking and screaming, as Jesus tried to lead him away from town. No. Instead, this blind man allowed Jesus to gently take his hand, putting all of his faith in Him, trusting that he had a good plan for him. Even furthermore, the first time the man opened his eyes and he could only see blurry figures, he did not become dismayed and throw up his hands and lose all faith. No. He allowed Jesus to put his hands on his eyes once again, believing that Jesus was doing a good work in him, healing his eyes. Because of his faith, he was healed. And, if you think about it, his faith started long before he allowed Jesus to walk him out of town. In this story, his faith started with allowing himself to be led to Jesus in the first place.

So, when we face an uncertain future, whether it is due to good changes or unfortunate circumstances, take heart! Have faith, like the blind man did. Allow God to lead you down the path he has for your life.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.