DETOURS

DETOURS...

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths."

Last week I sat and listened to Gloria Gaither talk about how she has seen God work in her life through interruptions. As I sit here today I have to say that God has worked in my life more through Detours than interruptions. As a child I thought I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up - a TEACHER. Then, I started substitute teaching during my early college years and a teacher friend of mine told me not to go into teaching - I didn't fit into the four walls of a classroom. DETOUR 1. So, I decided to go into the Behavioral Sciences and Psychology so I could still work with children in some capacity. I graduated from College and started my masters while working at a children's home. Then I met someone working at a university in student development and she suggested I move into this new and exciting field of work with college students. DETOUR 2. So, I finished my Masters and went to work in the college setting as a counselor. Then I fell in love with the leadership development and community service. DETOUR 3. Next thing I knew I was a Director of Community Service and a Leadership program at a College in Kentucky. While there I started to do workshops, seminars and conferences and then I began teaching. DETOUR 4. OK, so now I'm teaching.... While not having any plans except to continue working in the university setting God came along with another DETOUR - number 5 placing me back in counseling and service work in the Church Setting. Now, I'm working with Adults and doing major bible study programs. Thinking God has now brought me to a wonderful place allowing me to teach, counsel and work in community service all together I was ready to settle in for awhile. Along came DETOUR 6 when a series of family events took me to another job in the Addiction and Homeless field. Again I'm saying OK now I'm not just teaching people how to serve I am teaching and counseling those in direct need of compassion.

Are you still along for this ride? I certainly was because I found out again God wasn't ready for me to settle in. Because of the ongoing family situation God choose to move me out of OHIO and move me back to NJ. Yes, you guessed it this was the move to KESWICK. DETOUR 7 was really a detour because I came to KESWICK and basically did nothing of what I had been doing my entire life. This detour brought me to the front desk in Guest Services where many of you met me for the first time. Interestingly enough at that location nothing was stagnant for very long, soon Robert Hayes had me doing seminars and workshops and then I started TEACHING again for the Biblical Institute. Then came DETOUR 8 - I decided to leave KESWICK and go back to my work with the homeless and addicted. It's been just over a year since that Detour and God has allowed me new opportunities including a job that enabled me to get a lot of my Doctoral work done on company time and pay. This brings me up to DETOU R 9 - with all my class work done for my doctorate God is bringing me back to KESWICK. This time around I'm still teaching and doing workshops, but now I'm Directing two different departments at KESWICK - the Bible Institute and Guest Services.

Whew... I look back and see that every detour has added to my life and my ability to do the next thing God had in store for me. Does your life ever feel like a bunch of detours and you wonder if you'll ever get back on the road you started on? I've learned that as long as I am listening to HIM - his detours have been better than anything I could have ever designed for my life. Sit back and enjoy the ride.... God knows the BEST ROUTE to your DESTINATION.

Jeremiah 29:11
LDJ