I said in a previous post that I’ve been in a hurry since I was born. In fact, I made my appearance less than thirty minutes after my mom arrived at the hospital. Some health issues at birth left the doctors uncertain if I would live or not. My parents always told me they knew I’d be fine.

For years I assumed their assurance of my well being was the result of their hope as parents. While in PT school I learned the full story. Upset that God would allow his first child to be born premature and possibly die, my dad drove home from the hospital, voicing his anger at God. In this small rural town in South Dakota, Dad noticed the outside lights of three houses. In one house a child was recently diagnosed with diabetes, at the next house their child had been hit by a car, and in the last home something happened to one of their children as well. My dad heard God say, “Look, everyone has problems in their life. What makes you think you’re any different? Don’t worry, your daughter is going to be okay.” The next day, eager to share with my mom, he rushed into the hospital room to say I’d be fine. My mom said she knew. He exclaimed, “ No, you don’t understand,” and he shared the story with her. My mom already knew because during a devotional reading she heard God tell her I’d be okay.

Hearing the story of God’s working in my life brought deeper meaning and significance to this verse and others;

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16).

As I prepared to move to Guatemala seven years ago, I turned to my mom and said, “Mom, this is why I lived.”  She replied, “I know.”

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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

What’s your story? What were you born for? How has God spoken to you?