Author: Terry Modica

When we try hard to discern God’s will and then proceed with what we perceive as his guidance only to meet with failure, we understandably get lost in confusion. We wonder: “What happened? Why didn’t this work out? I was following God. I was trusting God. And he led me into disaster! But this is not God’s nature; perhaps I’m projecting onto him what a human has done to misguide me. Or is it my fault? Did I misinterpret his guidance?” More confusion. 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 NIV) In the previous chapter, I shared the story of how Ralph and I built our house despite many obstacles. But there was one more coming straight at us, unexpected, devastating. It hit us just days […] Read More

Rarely are our prayers answered instantly. And there are good reasons for this. Divine reasons. If we could see it from God’s perspective, we’d be grateful for the journey of waiting. But our first instinct is to see it from our own limited perspective. And this leads to disappointment. Yet those who wait for the LORD / Will gain new strength; / They will mount up with wings like eagles, / They will run and not get tired, / They will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31 NASB) When I was 17, one of my favorite rock stars performed in a small, nearby city. This was an opportunity I did not want to miss. Afraid that my parents would forbid it, a friend and I bought tickets and arranged transportation. I reasoned that if I had already spent my money for it, surely my parents wouldn’t stop me from […] Read More