*But God*

This morning I sat in church and listened to an interesting devotions. We heard about conjunctions, know what those are? They're little words that connect words or groups of words together in a sentence, like "and" "but" "or".... He said that "but" was an interesting conjunction because it tells you what's coming next is going to contradict what was just said. For example, if he said "I love my wife, and...." nobody would be too interested. If, however, he said "I love my wife, but....." everyone would immediately perk up to hear what was coming next! Then he gave us some interesting verses in the Bible, instances where the phrase "but God" was used -- Gen 50:20 "...ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good..." Eph 2:3-4 "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past.... but God, who is rich in mercy..." are two, and there's many more. His point was, how many "but God" moments happen in our lives? How often do we miss them?

My mind started rolling and I thought it might be fun to go back over my life ...briefly... and check out some "but God" moments. There are so many, many of them if you start considering! And so many, many more that I probably don't even know or realize. Try it sometime!

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Once upon a time, there was a husband and a wife with 5 children. They were quite content with their little family... *but God* thought it good to add one more little person to their number, and Bethany Ann was born. The little girl grew and played and learned. She wished for a sister her age - for little girls her age! *But God* surrounded her with little boy playmates in her world. The little girl became school age, and soon would join her siblings in going off to the local public school.... *but God* laid it on the hearts of her parents to switch to a Christian school for her first grade year, and then, to start their own church school where she attended the rest of her school years. The young girl graduated and entered the years of youth and it's activities. She put in her application for Bible school and heard, with dismay, that her name was on the waiting list. The last chance to get in came and went....*but God* arranged an empty bed and an invitation for her to fill it at the last possible minute. Amongst the many to cross her path was a young man from a family of all boys (hmmmm...) He didn't think much of her nor she of him.....*but God* threw them together on the Yearbook staff and the opinions slowly began to change! The two left Bible School and went their ways. Both had dreams of Voluntary Service in VA in their heads... *but God* led the young man to ask a question, the young lady to answer "yes" and only her to end up in VA. Two years passed by and the young lady answered "yes" to another question, an answer that would join the two young people for life. Now the young man was from Ohio, and the girl from Arkansas, so a decision had to be made as to where the young couple would reside. The young man had a job in Ohio, a church in Ohio, a family in Ohio....*but God* moved in his heart to choose Arkansas for their home. The two spent happy years together making a home and a family and a place in their community. They moved from their rented trailer to their own land and their own house that they planned and remodeled and spent hours on together. *But God* also brought hard times. The work dwindled and the bills loomed and the money became tight. The young father worked long days with little time left for his family. There was surgery for a son and a hospital stay for a newborn. There were days of discouragement and despair, days spent learning what it meant to trust completely in the Heavenly Father...... *but God* provided a job offer in Ohio and, hard as it was to pull up roots, the time was right. The young family packed up their belongings, said their goodbyes and headed out for a new start in a new place........

There's much, much more to the story, but just that little slice is enough to make me stop and consider the hand of a sovereign God in the details of my life. Where would you and I be ....*but God*??