when the answer is no..

hi friends..

again, it has been too long since we've spoken. in about 7.5 weeks, i will finally be done with this whole school thing and perhaps can start writing some more. the goal is still the same..to make you smile and remember that God is above all the best thing to ever happen to you and me.

so, about that title.

what do you do when the answer, the answer you really wanted to be yes, is no? do you cry, stomp around, plead with God, ask 'why me', or do you breathe a pray of thanks for God's will to continue and pray for the next direction.

i must confess, until recently, i wasn't so good at being thankful when the answer was no. God took that opportunity to teach me to wake up and remember that i am most definitely not in charge of my life nor can i see what is really going on in this wonderful life.

so today, i'm sitting on my couch thinking about the answer no and a verse popped into my mind. its one most of us know well. and this verse, well, it explains in 26 words exactly why 'no' is a perfectly okay answer from God.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

all i can tell you from here is that hearing no is really hard sometimes, but there is a reason and He knows best.

God also said that all we need is food and raiment..that's food enough to stay alive and clothing enough to stay alive (and decent). that's it. this means that we might hear 'no' when we don't want to.

for me, hearing no isn't and wasn't fun, but once i remembered Who really is in charge and has the plan for life, it became a little easier to accept.

next, though, i had to also remember to praise God, even though His answer was no.

that was definitely harder than i was expecting. thank goodness for music to help me praise. take a few minutes to listen to these songs. they have the same title, but are sang by different women at different points in their lives.

I Will Praise You - Ginny Owens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkiX_g8hGPI&index=30&list=PLSTbHdwl24okjRiqIcHwAem4gBNNbA396

I Will Praise You - Rebecca St. James https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXET-duSRr8&index=31&list=PLSTbHdwl24okjRiqIcHwAem4gBNNbA396

now..when the answer is no, just remember there is a Plan you don't understand. a Plan more beautiful than you can imagine. a Plan with a better end for you. 

and that, my friends, makes me smile.

with that, i love you all. i pray for you all.

keep smiling!