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A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

- Proverbs 16:9 (Amplified)  

 

It is 10:57am on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Like many of you, I imagine, I have been checking weather apps and reports to figure out what this upcoming storm is going to do. The forecast has changed this week from lots and lots of snow to freezing rain and sleet. That is not good. 

I also spent this morning wrapping up the message for this Sunday – ONE LIFE – Part 3, the last in the series. If you have been following along, it is basically about the fact that we have only one life to live, and everyone we meet also has only one life, so we need that reality to really seep in so that we can live life with wisdom and to its fullest. 

The plan was to share this on Sunday, and I still might, IF the forecasts are all wrong. (We will make a decision this Saturday morning about having our Sunday service or not and then send out an email to let everyone know.)  

HOWEVER, if they are right, well, those plans will change. It had been on the calendar for weeks now, but even with it on the calendar, that doesn’t mean it is going to happen. Things change.  

Ever found that to be true? You have a plan. You really thought it out. It seemed really good, and that everything would fall into place, but, well, it didn’t. Maybe it was something you really wanted to do, or a plan at work that everyone had finally agreed on, or a house you wanted to buy, or a trip you wanted to take, or whatever, but then, well, it just wasn’t to be. Maybe, something even better happened – that’s true too. But it wasn’t what you had planned.  

Like the weather.  

Proverbs 16:9 is one of my favorites - A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them. We can think and plan all we want, but ultimately God is the one that directs our steps. We still plan, plans are good, but we need to hold them loosely, let God be God.  

So, we learn to be flexible, at peace when things change, trusting that God is in control, and He’s got us in His hands. Nothing surprises Him because He has already seen what is going to happen. He knows. We don’t. We just have to know Him. That is enough.  

If the storm does come, we will adjust. We will prepare. We will get ready. These are not bad things, but good. We check on other people, too. Make sure they are ok. Love them with God’s love. Go through this together. That is what He is looking for in us, people willing to obey Him and represent Him well, even and especially, when our plans change.  

It might snow. It might sleet and worst of all, it may be freezing rain. Our plans may change, but God does not. He is always the same. He will direct our steps. So... stay warm and safe. Make sure others are too and let God direct and establish your steps!  

It's now, 11:24am on Thursday, January 22 – one more day in our life as we learn to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 – our theme verse for 2026.)