Thriving means freedom. Freedom to be who I am meant to be, in the place I am, with the gifts I received, fulfilling his good plan for me. It is being the very best version of the one God created me to be.

I have wondered at times how I ended up in North America, in the United States, in Indiana, the daughter of a farmer and his wife, the sixth child of seven. Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26 both remind me that my time and place were determined by God at creation. It is for me to recognize and receive with gratitude.

Just as he determined the boundaries of my time on earth, he determined my gender, Genesis 1:27; the shape of my physical body, Psalm 139:13-16; my particular abilities/talents/gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and the good work he set me apart to do, Jeremiah 1:5. He hasn’t missed a single detail.

Any one of the aforementioned qualities of my life can be a stumbling point. We live in a broken world that is being restored to its intended glory, but it is not yet restored completely. Until it is, we experience difficulty along the way.

What we do with our brokenness is the topic for tomorrow, but for today, examine the provisions mentioned above. Are any of these difficult for you to acknowledge and receive with gratitude? When I reject these provisions, I am in survival mode, never knowing the fullness of God’s plan for me. How can you come to a place of gratitude and begin living God’s best plan for you?