I shared this verse before, but it bears repeating. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
First I changed from January to July, then from July to January (albeit a different year- I haven’t yet perfected the art of time travel.) I expected that from the time of the last route change until I left, I would remain at the job I had been at for the past three years.
Rewind about 5 weeks. My friend, Emma, sends me a message saying they still have some positions open on the housekeeping supervisor team at the resort she works at. I decide to apply, thinking it sounds interesting but not really thinking I would get it. I’ve never worked in the tourism industry before, after all. There must be someone better qualified (which reminds me of another good topic for a post…stay tuned!).
Within a week I applied, had a phone interview, and was notified that I got the job. I had just enough time to give my 2-weeks notice. In fact, I was working until 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening, and my plane left at 7:30 a.m. the next morning!
Now here I am, another two weeks later, in Alaska. I would love to visit all 50 states eventually, but I hadn’t planned on coming here at this point. But the Lord was thinking differently. When I mentioned this job to my life group, one of the first things mentioned was, “Isn’t it perfect that your departure for the World Race was delayed, and then this opportunity comes up that fits in perfectly time wise?”
The situation reminds me of something else I once heard. “There are no road blocks, only detours.” I’m beginning to realize that those detours have the potential to be some of the most amazing experiences you will have. I have met a number fantastic people already. There are employees from around the world. Some of them are Christians, others are not. Perhaps I’ll have the chance to share the Good News with someone who has never heard it before. We’ve been here for a mere two weeks at this point, and there are still 4 months left. A lot can happen in that time, and I am putting it in the Lord’s hands. He is the one that brought me here, and I firmly believe that there is a reason for everything.
One thing that is sure: it is impossible to be here and not marvel at the Lord’s handiwork. When I studied in Spain I lived near the mountains and loved it. Here, I live IN the mountains and love it even more. No matter where you look you see astounding natural beauty. Everything around you is a constant reminder of how truly awesome and powerful He is. It is impossible for pictures to capture everything, but I’m doing the best I can!
“In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.” (Psalm 95:4)
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