I had it all planned. I was going to go to college and get a degree in special education. I wanted to work with kids who had mental and physical disabilities. I was going to teach for a year and get married. Then, I would teach another year and then we would have twins, a boy and a girl. After exactly two years, we would have another baby, a boy. After another two years, we would have another baby, a girl. Once the four were out of diapers, we would adopt a baby who had Down syndrome, boy or girl did not matter because we would already have two of each. Eventually, I would get back into teaching. All of this was to take place down South where our house would be situated on a lake with a large inground pool in the well-landscaped backyard.

Well, I did get a degree in special education but after that, I skipped a few steps. I started teaching in Southern Indiana across the river from Louisville, Kentucky, that is as far south as I would be for a while. I never did get married to have my four children, but I did adopt a baby with Down syndrome. I do have a pool in my backyard, for the dogs. My plans did not work out exactly the way I had dreamed. Did I ever dream that I would be a leader of a school and be asked to speak in front of an occasional crowd? Not in your life. In fact, I still have to type in BREATHE when I write out what I want to say so that I remember it needs to be done while I am talking in front of all of you.

We all have dreams and dreams are great things because they give us direction and help us to focus on the goals we have set for ourselves. But, for some reason, God does not listen in on the dreams we have for ourselves and say, "Wow! Y'know, I did not think of that. That is a much better idea than what I had planned for you. I am going to go with your ideas." Not to say that He is not listening to us, but He can also see the big picture and really does know what is best for us and when the best time is to allow us to experience things.

Proverbs 16:9 says "In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps." It sometimes irritates me that when people talk with you and tell you that if you just pray to God, He will honor your prayers and answer them. It makes one think that if you pray about it, God will answer it exactly the way you have asked and it will be immediate. He absolutely does honor our prayers and He does answer them, but the answer might not be what we think we want or what we think we need at the time. For example, when I got the call from Texas to tell me that I was chosen to adopt Shelby, it occurred 40 minutes before the funeral of one of my students. Looking back, it gave me and many other students something to get excited about and focus on even though the pain was still there concerning Jamie's death and the serious injuries of two other students.

When I look back at the dreams that I had for myself and look at the journey that God has taken me on, I know that He has prepared me for this chapter in my life. God has also prepared you for whatever He leads you through this year. For some of you, this has already been a tough year and a year where you wonder if it is all worth it. Hang on! God is preparing you for something great! It is hard to imagine that when you are going through it, but you have to know that when you go through the tough times, it gives Him sorrow, too. He will be there for you in the form of friends, teachers, children, parents, students, and other acquaintances. For some of you, this will truly be the "best year of your life." But, hang on; God is preparing you for something as well. The most important thing to remember, whether this year is great or not, is to not focus on what is behind but to look forward to what is ahead. You need to focus on God and what He has planned for you. He made you for a reason and a purpose beyond your wildest dreams. It is not His intention to have you walk around banging your head against the wall or trying to second-guess what He has planned.

So, I challenge you, this school year, to set those dreams and goals. Think of your interests and desires and come up with a plan. Then, focus on God. Let Him know what you think you want out of life and then watch Him work. Look to Him and He will carry you through the bad times and walk beside you in the good times. Exodus 9:16 says, "But I have raised you up for this very purpose that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."