“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11
Tonight, at 2:30 a.m., I found myself scrolling through old photos when I came across a picture of me during my deployment to Afghanistan 13 years ago. I paused and stared at it for a while. Looking at that younger version of myself, one thought filled my heart:
I’m right where I’m supposed to be.
Not because life has been easy. Not because I had everything figured out. But because God’s grace carried me every step of the way.
When I reflect on that season of my life, I know without a doubt that it was nobody but God who preserved me.
There were several moments during that deployment when my life could have ended. The dangers were real. The uncertainty was constant. Every day carried risks that most people will never fully understand.
One memory still stands out vividly.
One evening, I made my usual walk to the restroom. As I was heading back to the building, the alarms suddenly sounded. In that moment, I had only two choices, stay on the ground or run. I chose to run.
The next day we learned that an improvised explosive device (IED) had struck the Entry Control Point, only about 100 to 150 feet from where I had been moments earlier.
That realization still humbles me.
It could have been me.
But God had another plan.
As if that wasn’t enough, I remember the flight home at the end of my deployment. I boarded the plane grateful that I was finally returning home, not realizing that just a few seats away was another Airman making the same journey… but in a completely different way.
His family would welcome him home in a casket.
Only weeks before his scheduled return, he was tragically killed when a native he was training turned against him. It was heartbreaking. He had plans. He had dreams. He had loved ones waiting.
That could have been my story.
But God.
Those two words carry so much weight.
When I think about the IED attacks, the close calls, the long shifts, the uncertainty, and the countless moments where life hung in the balance, I cannot take a single day for granted.
Today, I am blessed with a loving husband, beautiful children, a ministry, and opportunities to encourage others through writing, speaking, and serving. None of this happened by accident.
God was writing a story that I couldn’t see while I was living through it.
Looking back, I realize that His hand was always upon my life. Even in moments when I couldn’t see His protection, He was shielding me. Even when I didn’t understand His purpose, He was preparing me for it.
There was a time when I questioned what my purpose was. I wondered why I had survived experiences that others did not. Today, the answer has become much clearer.
God spared my life for such a time as this.
Not simply to exist, but to serve.
To encourage.
To minister.
To write.
To remind others that the God who kept me is still keeping His people today.
Life will bring hardships. We all face seasons of uncertainty, pain, and unanswered questions. But I’ve learned that God’s faithfulness is not determined by our circumstances. Even when we cannot trace His hand, we can trust His heart.
As I write these words with tears of gratitude, I can honestly say that I am exactly where I need to be.
Not because I planned it.
Not because I earned it.
But because the grace of God has carried me from then until now.
And if He has been faithful through every battle I’ve already survived, I know He will remain faithful through every season yet to come.
I was made for more.
Not more success.
Not more recognition.
But more purpose.
More impact.
More of Him.
And for that, I will forever give God the glory.
Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on your own journey.
Where has God protected you in ways you didn’t recognize until much later? What doors has He opened? What dangers has He shielded you from? Sometimes we become so focused on where we’re going that we forget to thank Him for where He has already brought us.
Your testimony is more than a story from your past, it is evidence of God’s faithfulness and a reminder that He still has a purpose for your life.
Call to Action
If this testimony encouraged you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with someone who may need the reminder that God’s plans are still unfolding, even when life doesn’t make sense.
And today, pause and thank God, not only for the blessings you can see, but also for the battles He brought you through that could have ended differently.
If you’re reading this, take heart. You’re not here by coincidence.
God still has a purpose for your life.
You may not understand every twist and turn of your journey, but if God has sustained you this far, trust that He is still leading you.
You’re right where you’re supposed to be.
