Scripture:
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)
Every now and then, I get a wild idea to do something adventurous with kiddo. Last spring, that adventure was camping. I pictured us sitting by the fire, roasting marshmallows, and gazing at the stars while bonding over deep, meaningful conversations. What actually happened was… a little different.
We arrived at the campsite late because I forgot to account for traffic. It was already dark, so I set up the tent by flashlight, only to realize I’d forgotten the stakes. The tent collapsed twice before I managed to rig it with sticks and duct tape.
Then came the food. I had this grand plan to grill burgers over the fire, but I couldn’t get the fire to stay lit. We ended up eating cold sandwiches, with kiddo laughing hysterically every time I tried to spark the flames. “This is going on my highlight reel,” she joked.
Finally, we settled into the tent. Only to be woken up at 2 a.m. by a curious raccoon digging through our cooler. kiddo dubbed him “Bandit” and decided he was the real MVP of the trip.
At first, I felt like the whole thing was a disaster. But as we drove home the next day, kiddo turned to me and said, “That was the best trip ever, Dad.” Her words reminded me that life rarely goes as planned, but the memories we make in the messes often mean the most.
Camping taught me that God’s plans are often better than our own, even when they look different than we imagined. We might plan for perfection, but it’s in the unexpected moments that His grace, humor, and love shine brightest.
Bible Promise:
God works all things for good… even our blunders.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for turning even my missteps into moments of joy and connection. Help me to embrace the unexpected and trust that Your plans are always good. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for turning even my missteps into moments of joy and connection. Help me to embrace the unexpected and trust that Your plans are always good. I give You all honor, all the glory, and all the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.