Daily Delight
Things have not gone the way I planned. God took the planner and daydreamer in me and began gently crushing her since her teenage years. The days when feeling let down and unsatisfied were normal occurrences because life wasn't lining up with how I wanted it to look. The days when I relentlessly attempted to plan out my whole life because I wanted the security of knowing that yes, things would happen for me. And yes, I could control them.
One by one, God stripped it all away. Everything I was betting on, putting my security in, and relying on- gone. The more I tried to control, the more God had to take the wheel from me. So, Proverbs 16:9 became my life-song: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps" (ESV). There it was written right in God's Word, a synopsis of the greater half of my life.
God chiseled away at my heart and by painful refinement, led me to a sweet place of being okay with not knowing a single thing. I learned to embrace single steps instead of giant jumps. I learned how to be calm in the fog, finding a rhythm in thriving with little sight and minimal direction. I learned that age is but a number and that I was created for more than milestones and status quos.
I learned these things, but I continue to teach them to myself every day. I lean into Proverbs 16:9 and focus on one word: establish. God is the One cementing my plans, not me. He is the One moving the pieces, working behind-the-scenes, and ordaining my moments. When plans get changed, when the future isn't looking as bright and hopeful as I thought it would, when all I want are answers but I keep getting more questions, I dive in to the beauty of that single step. I've found that those small acts of obedience lead to the sweetest reward: walking the path He has set out before me.
About the Author
Oliveah Friesen
Oliveah is 21 years old and lives in Ontario, Canada. She loves her relatively small-town life but also has dreams to move to the big city (Toronto)! She recently graduated with her degree in Public Relations, and while she seeks out her next steps she is pursuing her love of writing and branding through various projects.Oliveah is wildly passionate about sharing her faith and journey through life in an authentic and tangibly real way. Her motto is "keepin' it real" and her desire is to encourage women to find freedom from comparison and instead, embrace their identity as Daughters of the King.In her free time, she loves to read, refinish furniture, dance around the house while making mac & cheese, adventure with friends, and of course, write out her heart in Starbucks while sipping a delicious London Fog.You can find her on Instagram here and read more of her heart here.