I Know the Plans I Have for You …

ACFWAdvice, Encouragement, Faith, Friends of ACFW 2 Comments

by Deb Haggerty

How many times do we rush blindly into our days, perhaps breathing a brief “God guide me” on our way out of the bedroom to get coffee and dive into our plans? I was reminded recently our ideas may not be the plans God has for us.

I was scheduled for a left knee replacement March 10, 2020. All the pre-op tests were clear—I breezed through them. I was hoping to be scheduled for the first surgery slot so I could go back to sleep. I had to report at 6 a.m. and I am NOT a morning person.

My husband took me to the hospital and dropped me at the front door so he could go park the car. I felt a bit light-headed but thought the feeling was from lack of sleep. When they called me to the front desk, I was really off balance. They offered and I took a wheelchair for transport to the prep area. I was very glad to get back in bed.

For once, the nurse was able to place the IV easily. I lay there in bed feeling strange. I knew something was not right. The nurse took my blood pressure once, twice, then said the pressure was high, which was unusual for me. She said she’d be right back. When she came back, she told me I was in A Fib—ultra fast, very erratic heartbeat. The anesthetist came by and said they’d have to wait and see—they couldn’t do the surgery with my heart in A Fib. The ortho doctor called my cardiologist who told him in no uncertain terms to cancel the surgery.

As soon as the surgery was cancelled, my heart went back into normal sinus rhythm. They took me to the emergency room to do some tests to make sure I was okay and didn’t have a blood clot, but everything was perfect. Instead of knee surgery and two days in the hospital, I was sent home.

But what else is going on now? The COVID 19 virus is rampant in several areas in Massachusetts—close to but not yet in our town. People my age with underlying conditions are at the highest risk for contracting the coronavirus. I was at peace throughout the entire process, certain that God was in control and his intention was not for me to have surgery that morning. He protected me from any possibility of picking up an infection or the virus at the hospital.

When your plans go awry, remember my story and know God may have better ones for you. Be at peace, wait and work on your craft until his direction for you becomes clear. God’s timing is perfect.

Deb Haggerty is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Elk Lake Publishing Inc., a traditional, royalty-paying Christian company that “Publishes the Positive.” She’s a Christ follower, wife, mom, and “Nana.” Deb is the author of These Are the Days of My Life and co-author of Experiencing God in a Broken World.

 

Comments 2

  1. God has His plans for me, I know,
    there’s nowt that should be feared,
    but as down life’s road I go,
    some plans seem pretty weird.
    Sixteen dogs live in the house,
    and though I’m trained to kill,
    I would now never hurt a mouse;
    the thought, it makes me ill.
    And what about the poetry,
    three thousand sonnets strong?
    If you could spend some time with me
    you’d think that I belong
    not in a cozy writing nook,
    for I look to never’ve cracked a book.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *