I know I have hit on the topic of goals the previous two weeks, so I promise this is the last blog about anything related to goals, for a while at least. Well, maybe not promise promise. I don’t always know what God will press upon my heart to share. But I felt like one of you may need this reminder that God does indeed have a plan for you.

When I sat down to write this week’s blog, I did what any faithful Christian woman does looking for inspiration. I opened Instagram and scrolled through reels. After wasting a reasonable amount of time, it did not disappoint me. A reel popped up of a car driving through a winding, mountainous valley with a man’s voice-over monologue talking about how God has a plan for us, and we often try to make our plans work instead. It struck a chord with me as I thought about how many times in my life I attempted to create a door where God was clearly not making a way.

Just a few days ago I shared my testimony to this very thing and how I came to be a part of the UBN team. In early 2020, I was still in sales as a virtual franchise owner, as I had been for over 15 years. My business had been in a slump for over a year, but I was determined to build it back to its former success. Despite the pandemic hitting in March of 2020, I was still striving to hit sales goals that would increase my standing in the organization and secure a more stable income stream.

At the beginning of that year, I had prayed for wisdom and guidance in choosing the right goals. I vowed my commitment to honor God with my business. I carefully set specific action steps and plans to hit said goals. I did all the things.

A few months in, I was working as hard as I ever had. And I was praying even harder. The effort seemed to be paying off as my sales numbers incrementally rose and I had a whole slew of new clients. I thanked God again and again. And again. Then at the end of May 2020, it all disappeared seemingly overnight. That’s okay, I told myself. This is just a test of faith. I prayed and declared a stronger resolve. I just knew this was merely a breeding ground for a miracle.

I sought God in the floor of my closet every night. I rolled up my proverbial sleeves and went to work. I committed my work to God’s glory, and I believed for His favor over my efforts. And after about six weeks of dedicated focus ….

Nothing. Big, fat nothing. My sales were as low as I had ever seen in my career. There was not a chance of me hitting a single one of the goals I had so intentionally set and prayed over.

I was so discouraged and, frankly, a bit aggravated at God. I was doing all the right things I knew to do. What was God doing with me? What was He thinking? I felt completely ignored. Logically, I knew that was false. But my human flesh sure felt ignored.

Ironically, in the middle of my sadness, I began to realize how unhappy I was in my job. However, I had invested so many years in it, invested so many hours in learning the industry and products. I didn’t want to feel like I had wasted all that time. And I did love my clients (mostly) and the people I worked with (mostly). Also, I genuinely viewed my business as a part of my ministry. I felt like not only was my business failing, so was my ministry.

After a month of wallowing and lamenting and seeing no indication my business would survive, I decided I had to consider a new path. I spent the next couple of months dissecting my career goals, examining my life. I explored other options that I might enjoy, including re-visiting the idea of law school from my college days.

During this wandering season of exploring options and feeling like I had no professional direction, I received a text asking if I was interested in helping fill a need at Unconventional Business Network. Two weeks later, I started my new position. A position that continued to morph and grow into what it is today.

Looking back now, I can see so clearly how God was redirecting me. Had my business appeared to have any hope at all, I would have never considered accepting this position. I would have never had the opportunity to serve in a fulfilling role that aligns with the vision for the ministry I had only dreamed of. God had to allow my business to completely falter before I would be open to any other possibilities or plans He had for me.

And if I am honest, I would have stayed so busy striving to increase sales and chase business that I would have never paused to actually listen to God’s voice inviting me to join Him in a new place. Just like the Instagram reel’s voice-over, I would have kept trying to make my plan work instead of considering God had a different plan. I would have continued forcing my own path in one direction where God was trying to pave the way for me in another.

Yes, definitely, there are times in a season of difficulty or uncertainty we are called to persevere and trust God in that place. But other times, we need to stop long enough to seek God’s voice with an open heart. We need to be willing to loosen our grip on our current desires and consider that He has something even better.

Ephesians 3:20 comes to mind as I think about how His redirection for us always results in something more impactful, more fulfilling. Paul says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

God has most certainly done more than I could ever ask, think, or imagine in the past 14 months. Much more than I could imagine when I was clinging so hard to my own failing plans.

I pray that you are encouraged and reminded that God has a plan for you no matter what season you are in, whether the desert or the land of milk and honey.

And it is a greater plan than you can dare to ask or imagine.

Thank you for being a part of the UBW community. You matter to God, and you matter to us.