God’s Odd Battle Plans: Trusting God in All Things by Jennifer DeibelSýnishorn

Day 1

When Plans Fail

Have you ever had a plan go awry? Maybe it was a plan for the day, the week, or perhaps your life. You did your research, all the doors seemed to open, and you were ready to take the first steps to implement your ideas.

But as soon as you took your first step, the rug was snatched out from under you, and you found yourself flat on your proverbial back, staring up at the heavens, wondering what on earth happened. Ever been there?

The main character in Heart of the Glen has too. At the start of the book, Saoirse arrives to start her new job—the plan that was going to save her from her traumatic past and give her the fresh start she so desperately needed. But then it all fell apart.

Saoirse’s brows pressed together, and she knocked again. Nothing. She stepped back and looked up at the building once more, as though whether she was in the right place would be written on the wall. After all, how many Drumboe Castles could there be in County Donegal? It was only then that she noticed no smoke curled from the chimneys and every window was dark. She glanced around. The only person to be seen was a farmer herding his sheep in the field neighboring the mansion. She stepped over to one of the windows next to the bay, cupped her hands around the sides of her face, and peered in. But her view was blocked by thick drapes.

“Ye’ll have no luck doin’ that.”

Saoirse squealed and spun around. A hunched man with wiry white hair and leathery skin stared back. Where on earth had he come from?

“I beg yer pardon?” she said.

He waved a knobby finger in the direction of the castle. “She’s locked up tight. No one’s there.”

Saoirse’s gut sank. “That can’t be right.” She turned and looked back up at the menacing building. “I’m to start today as the new maid.”

The man tsked, and a wheezy chuckle slipped from his lips. “No need fer a maid when no one’s livin’ there.”

The bag slipped from her shoulder and fell to the ground with a muted thud. “No one liv—” The words stuck in her throat. How could no one be living here? Surely Lady Harris-Temple wouldn’t have set her up for a joke? Or, worse, a sentence of abandonment?

The man shrugged. “Lord Hayes died last week. Her ladyship’s gone to live wit’ her sister.”…

As though she’d been socked in the gut, Saoirse gasped. “What am I supposed to do now?” She wasn’t sure if she was asking herself, the old man, or God Himself.

It’s a tale as old as time, really. Which you’ll see in today’s Scripture reading with our friend Gideon. He went from living in the promised land to hiding in a wine press to thresh his wheat out of fear of the invaders that were tormenting his people. And then God’s messenger shows up and tells Gideon—the “Barney-ist of the Fife-ists,” as my dad says—that he’s the chosen one to defeat them. Surely, he had to ask himself, What do I do now?

This week, we will take a closer look at what to do when what we thought was God’s promise turns out to be vastly different . . . and what to do when God’s plans make no sense.

Pray: Spend some time today being honest with God about any area of your life where things just don’t make sense, despite your best efforts to follow and obey. Ask Him to open your eyes to where He is working, and ask Him to speak to you through His Word this week.