Why is revelation so essential to our spiritual survival? Because the world can be confusing and noisy, full of deception and distractions. Communication with our Father in Heaven enables us to sort through what is true and what is false, what is relevant to the Lord’s plan for us and what is not.
Milton Camargo, "Ask, Seek, and Knock", General Conference, October 2020
I've learned throughout my life that my plan for how my life should go is NOT what the Lord has planned for me. In fact, the Lord basically nudged me down the right path because I was so prideful and stubborn to see it myself. I am eternally grateful for that nudge.
A couple of examples :
1. Through all of high school, specifically playing sports, I wanted to be a physical therapist. I wanted to be around sports. I even started my college classes in sports medicine after my mission. I had a plan. I was on my way.
Well... the Lord had other plans. I took the first job I could get. The job was running network cabling in a corporate building still under construction. The rest, as they say, is history. You see, the Lord knew what would happen to me some 17 years after that moment. There is absolutely no way I could be a physical therapist and be suffering from MS and it's symptoms and support my family. But, as a network engineer, I can still work while having these issues. I am so grateful He loves me enough to make sure I go in the right direction. I couldn't know what would happen, but He did.
2. After being diagnosed with MS, Lori and I had made the decision to move back up to Lakeside to be out of the heat in the Valley of the Sun, because heat exacerbates my condition, so it was logical.
But, it wasn't part of the plan. After a couple of months in Lakeside, after we got the kids settled in school, Lori and I had an uneasy feeling, like we weren't where we needed to be. Luckily, or rather divinely, we hadn't sold our home in Gilbert and we moved back down into it.
Looking back, we can see some of the fruits of our decision. Kenzie never would've met Zech and gotten married. Now she is carrying our first grandchild....a little girl. Also, who knows what circle of influence Kyle and Elle would've had too or what kinds of friends would they have had. Whether missions would've been in the picture or not. Whether testimonies would've been as strong or not. We just don't know.
We are so blessed with the many tender mercies. We're also excited to more fruits forthcoming.