No Chances

By Kristine John

I have been disappointed more than once today because I had to make the decision between blogging for ANWA or making a salad for the funeral of a sweet 5 year old girl in the last hour I was awake last night.
I chose the salad because I knew that we would be at the temple first thing this morning and I wouldn't have time to put together a salad this morning.
I was disappointed, not because of the choice I made, but because I had a chosen topic and ideas about what to blog about and now, because of my decision, I would have to wait two weeks to share those thoughts.
However, when I clicked on the ANWA blog and saw there is no post for today and Christine's posted one minute before Saturday, I decided I'll share my thoughts today! (Thanks!!)

While on the internet yesterday, I came across this quote,

"We think we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting – any of these chances might have kept us apart.
But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples “ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends “you have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another. The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others.” -CS Lewis, The Four Loves, p. 85

As many of you may remember, I moved in January.
We had spent a weekend in November searching for homes in the Queen Creek area, and settled on two homes that we would be happy with.
We put our bids in on both homes and waited, renegotiating each bid, looking for an agreeable price that we could afford the payments on.
Due to both price and floor plan, we settled on the lower-priced home and started moving forward into the buying process.
About 3 weeks into that decision, we found that the owners were selling the house for profit within 90 days of buying it, and our FHA loan would not allow us to go forward with a buying a home that was being sold for profit within that 90 day period of time.
Initially, when the deal fell through, we were sad and frustrated.

We found quickly, however, that the Lord had other plans for us, and we were able to renegotiate the price on our current home, picking up right where we had left off.
Amazingly, the bank worked with us, far more than we thought they would, and we were able to secure the home within a week or so of the other home falling through.

Although our initial plans had been to settle in a different neighborhood, the spirit quickly confirmed in a whisper, "You are moving where I need you to be. This is the right place for you."
With consistent and sure promptings of the spirit coming on a regular basis, we turned our hearts and our minds to going and being where and doing what the Lord was asking of us.

Now, more than ever, I know, as C.S. Lewis said, that "there are, strictly speaking, no chances".
Not chance that I am in the right house, in the right ward, in the right neighborhood, in the right town.
Not chance that the people I come into contact with are those who will impact my life in ways I have yet to see and understand.
Not even a chance that any of this is pure luck or simple happenstance.

Truly, it is not chance.
It is His plan for me at this time.
And the amazing thing?
He has a plan for you too.
For each of you.
More complete, and beautiful than you can imagine.
For truly, strictly speaking, there are no chances.