I've been thinking about defining events...

Bumps vs. Forks

I woke up this morning thinking about defining events. Perhaps it was because I often help women determine what those are in their own pilgrimage on this earth. Anyway, someone shared with me recently that there is a vast difference between bumps and forks in the road of life. Bumps create sudden impact that throws off our delicate sense of balance and forks literally hurl us totally in a different direction. These thoughts made me think about my own life and some of my own defining events:

Coming to know Christ at 12 (fork)
Broken promise about a trip to California for high school graduation (bump)
Moving from Iowa to California at 18 (fork)
Marrying a pastor at 21 (fork)
Suffering in the early years of my husband's ministry (many bumps)
Bearing two children (fork)
Becoming more consecrated in my personal relationship with God at 30 (fork)
Meeting a covenant sister in Christ (friend of the heart) at 40 (fork)
Starting a formal mentoring ministry at 50 (fork)
Losing my dad at 55 (bump)
Losing my six year old nephew two weeks later (big bump)

I am very thankful at this thankful time of year that God has made His presence known to me through all of the above bumps and forks. He helped me make vector changes that kept me moving in a righteous direction for His glory. Psalm 1:6, "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous."

I also take great comfort in the fact that as He has worked with me in the past, He will continue to work with me in the future. I am resting in the confidence that future bumps and forks will be watched over by His gentlemanly presence in my life. And so, I find that I am very thankful for His many blessings at this Thanksgiving time!