Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT): “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
The Message version says it this way: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

In other words, God made this promise to me when everything in life - i.e., the circumstances) said that such a promise was impossible
My (then) husband had decided that we were getting a divorce. I had a degree, but not a job. (And zero confidence that I could get one in my field. That’s how low my self-esteem was at that time.) A few thousand dollars in the bank. My dog at the time, Happy. And what few possessions fit into my CR-V and my mother’s mini van.
And I had to move back in with my mother, who lived in another state, which meant literally everything in my life changed overnight.
By all accounts, things seemed dire and hopeless. I didn’t know how I was going to earn a living. I didn’t know where to go from there. Things were a big unknown.
And yet God gave me this verse in Jeremiah. Which, from a human perspective, seemed crazy, right?
Yet His promise was that, even though my world had been entirely shaken, He had a plan that was full of goodness and hope. (Even though I couldn’t see it at the time.)
In fact, God pointed out that promise so that, in that moment, I had hope.
Because my hope wasn’t in my circumstances; it was in Him.
That was back in 2011. And sitting here at the end of 2024, over 13 years later, I can tell you that God delivered.
He had a plan for my life that included a lot of hope and goodness.
My life - and myself - look a lot different today than back in 2011.

In 2022, God called me to move from Ohio to Washington. While I thought a relationship might be part of the reason, God didn’t tell me exactly why He was calling me to move. All He gave me was:

Joshua 1:9 (NLT) says, “...be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Soon after I moved, the relationship fell apart. A year later, I still don’t have a clear answer from God as to why I’m here.
But at the beginning of 2024 (aka this year), God pointed me to this same promise in Jeremiah.
Once again, though for different reasons, I’m sitting in a season where I don’t have a clear picture of the future. I’m just following where He leads, step-by-step.
And God - in His goodness and love - reminded me that, despite things being fuzzy, He has a plan - a good plan.
God didn’t have me move across the country without there being a specific reason or it being part of a larger plan. I just haven't seen the full picture yet.
But I know from past experience that God’s promise is legit and something that I can count on.

Part of learning to trust God comes from experience - just like any other relationship.
However, it also begins with understanding who God is.
As we learn about the real, true character of God - and in a way where the knowledge builds upon itself - then we naturally begin to get the full picture of who He is and who we are to Him (i.e., how much He loves us; what He wants for us; etc.).
That makes understanding God’s character a key component that unlocks a lot of other things
But we need to purposefully pursue that knowledge

Discover your customized first step to fully experiencing God’s love.
Proverbs 2:6 (NLT) says, “For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Progress comes from information, understanding, and a sense of how to move forward.
One of the major keys to embracing God’s love and acceptance - especially more deeply - is identifying the primary area that requires growth.
Then can you take your first strategically wise step towards breakthrough!
My FREE quiz will equip you with that strategic first step. One, by identifying it through the quiz result. And two, by instantly providing you with FREE resources to spur your growth in that area.
It’s only 5 brief questions. In 60 seconds, you’ll be a huge step closer to positive transformation and breakthrough.

Launching on January 2, 2025, Relate Escape Place will be a safe, secure, and focused community that will also include mini courses and challenges.
Accelerate your understanding of God and His character through a series of mini courses I’ve strategically designed to provide further growth and breakthrough.
The first three mini courses, which are immediately available upon joining the community, are: Decode God’s Love; Dymystify God’s Character; and Journey with Jesus.
By the way, no matter what your quiz result is, these mini courses will equip you in that area! (Again, this is why I love to strategically build things! Everything works together for you!)
In these mini courses, get a clear, focused, biblically-based picture of who God really is - and how to apply that to your relationship with Him.
And they aren’t overwhelming! You can complete each mini course within a week!