Have you ever had to give up something that you really wanted, or something you wanted to do, in order to do something you felt you were being asked to do? It’s not always easy to give up our idea for what God may be asking us to do. It’s called sacrifice. God always rewards our obedience though! I love that about Him! So here is my story…I hope it helps you make the decision that is right for you in the future.
My hubby and I always take a day or two get-away for Valentine’s Day. It was our plan to marry on Valentine’s Day when we got married but that plan didn’t work out. So because of that, we have always gone away to do something together to celebrate our “almost” wedding day. We consider it our anniversary day, even though we also celebrate our actual date of marriage. So we had planned a three day time away in one of my favorite places with lots of other fun activities included. But then, I found out that my very good friend was having surgery for a knee replacement two days before Valentine’s Day, and I was scheduled to go up and help her. So… hubby and I talked about what we could do, and decided we would make plans to do something together the weekend before. Terry wanted to make the plans for those two days, so that was kind of fun for me since it’s usually me who does that. Friday afternoon, he went and did his food shopping for the weekend, and came back with a beautiful rose and card. That was a part of his table setting the next morning.
Here was his plan: he made me breakfast with mocha included, he would make dinner for me on Saturday evening, but he had planned snacks for during the day. I was to do whatever I wanted that day…read, take pictures, whatever I wanted. I didn’t get to know what was going to happen the following day until it came. We had a lovely candlelit dinner at home with time together and a special movie we watched. He had snacks planned for later in the evening too! Lovely day! He told me we had to get up early the following morning because he had a plan for that also.
My hubby’s table set for me. Still have to work out the deal with bottles but hey…it looks awesome!
Ocean view at Pacific Beach, WA
Little town of Pacific Beach, WA
The interesting layers of nature after the storm.
Seemed almost appropriate somehow for the reason we were out that day.
Always good to attain the climb from worldly things to go for higher ground.
So we got up and he fixed me breakfast. While we ate he said he wanted to take me for a ride, and I was to bring my camera and we would go out to Pacific Beach and take photos! Don’t have to ask me twice to do that!!! He would buy me an early dinner after my beach fix, and we would just check some places out as we went. Well…be still my heart! That is MY kind of day. So we went to the beach and I took photos; some fun photo opportunities. We walked around, and got silly photos too! Then I just happened to find a wacky kind of second-hand store that I found my Norwegian Farmers Rose cups for $.50 each!!! I was SO excited. That was just a drive by and I said, “Look! That is open! Let’s go see!” It pays, I tell ya! After all that, we went to get our dinner, and then on the way back home, I bought us a Starbucks. We both came home feeling wonderful after another day of fun together!
What a treat! It doesn’t take much to find sweet times together, or with a friend if that is the case in your life. It also taught me that to give up is to get back. We decided together that we wanted to do this so that I could help a friend. We were blessed by that decision, and God gave us a wonderful couple of days to enjoy the little things in life. Don’t hold back because you think you will lose when God calls you forward to do something different from your plan! Step through the door and let Him bless you with other ways, and the means to find joy in the change. We will still go do our first idea, but just for the day and one night. We get to have another fun day activity, along with our weekend plans we enjoyed so much.
I think the moral of this story is that when we are willing to follow what the Lord calls us to do, and we are willing to do it in obedience to Him, He will take care of giving us back more than what we give. It’s really a heart issue. It had nothing to do with giving something up. It wasn’t hard. I was glad to do it. But it taught me once again that when I am willing to step out and obey, God will take care of everything else; my hubby’s willingness to change the schedule, be a bachelor for a week, the plans to still do some of what we planned when I got back, it all worked out.
Have a willing heart to let go of your plans, and hang on to God’s plans. That is best for all of us anyway!!! I will share more of my insights with my friend in my next post.
Until next time…
~JoAnn
P.S. My sweet cups that I was so excited to find!
journeysofmyheart.com 
That was sweet ❤