Did you ever have big plans for your life? Did those plans work out just as you thought they would? I think most people are like me in that some plans work out as I imagined and some are far from anything I had hoped. Yes, life is full of many surprises. Some unexpected events are total letdowns and others are heartbreakers. And when life seems to be all “rainbow and unicorns”, as my oldest daughter frequently refers to it, we tend to become prideful and sometimes greedy, spoiled Christians.

I awoke at 4:45 this morning thinking of you. You in foreign nations that have visited my website are on my mind. I am thankful and humbled that you chose to read what I have written. Each passing day I think, “I need to write about this, or about that.” In the course of one day, I have many topics to blog about and as you can see, I don’t. I deeply desire to encourage and help spread hope to others so I write what is on my heart. Even if it is before daybreak.

Since you are reading this blog, you know I am an American. Growing up as an American I was given some freedoms that no other country I know gets to enjoy. My father, uncles, cousins, nephews, and husband have served in our armed forces to protect those freedoms. Those freedoms were God-given and based on Christian principles. I have lived enough years to see and experience what happens to a nation that turns away from God. The American dream is turning into the American nightmare, to say it mildly! Greed, hatred, immorality, violence, chaos, confusion, detestable lifestyles toward God, and evils of all kinds are occurring with intensity each day. I could continue, but you get the idea if you see any news of what is happening in the United States.

And there it is…the United States. Through our turning from God, we are no longer United. Have you ever heard of the ancient military strategy to “divide and conquer?” I believe that strategy is one of our enemy Satan’s, favorite. If he can divide us in our belief in the ONE true God, then he can weaken us as a nation and we no longer stand. United we stand. Divided we fall.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. NKJV. I have a heart-gripping drawing of the Statue of Liberty on her knees, hands lifted to heaven, tears streaming down her face, and “IF MY PEOPLE” is written on her foundation. This verse of scripture is written out beneath. Please take a moment to think about the word “foundation.” As you do, here are a few scriptures to look up and be strengthened by: 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 Corinthians 3:11; and Matthew 7:24-27…All other ground is sinking sand!

This brings me to BIG PLANS.

A poem evolved as I thought of the unimaginable deterioration of our America the Beautiful. The Perfect Plan was the message of hope and encouragement I needed to get my thoughts on the Sovereign God I serve. If I do not recognize that God’s plan is perfect, I will lose all hope, for not only the future of America but mine and my loved one’s futures. Although it doesn’t stop there! I would have no hope of a future for any of you also. If I don’t have something, I cannot share it.

So, I thank God for His Grace and Mercy for Salvation for all who call on His name. And I thank Him for the opportunities He has given me to share these messages of hope and encouragement. I am just one of His many children living in a nation that so desperately needs to do as He told us in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Through the saving Grace of Jesus Christ, Him, and His Word being my solid foundation, my Big Plans transform into His bigger, better, perfect plans for me, my loved ones, the nations, and this whole big world! By the way, He created the universe, so He has got that too! Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. ESV

As I stand on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word, I can trust that His perfect plan is better than anything I could ever devise. As I surrender my will to Him, I have all of the hope and encouragement I need to share with the nations. This fulfills His plan for my life and my heart’s desire for those of us in the United States of America, Singapore, Ireland, Canada, India, Philippines, Netherlands, Romania, China, Germany, United Kingdom, and Sweden, thus far. I know God is great at multiplying blessings, so I can count on Him to add to this list. You are a blessing!

I want to thank you for spending time with me and I would love for you to connect with me on my Connect page. Countless times I have been encouraged by those who have commented.

If you want to know more about my life experiences that have helped build my faith, you can read about some of them in my new book, “Blue Skies, Butterflies, & Battlegrounds.” The Perfect Plan poem and narrative are in this book also. My first book “Inspire Me” tells how and why my writing began. You can find them on my Books page here on this website.

As I pray for your nation, I ask that you include the United States of America in your prayers. Let us pray that we will all stand united with Christ before the One God that made it all possible.

May God bless you and keep you wherever you are!

Until our next time together,

Reba