Divine Design

Alma 26:10-12,16

10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting.

11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Photo Credit: Joy Gough

I've been a lot quieter on social media and my blog lately, and the main reason is the same concern Aaron had - that anything I said might just sound like boasting. As I was reading Alma 26 just a bit ago, I realized that my perspective has been skewed. I know that my blessings come from God and I should praise Him for them, and share my testimony of His goodness, so here I am! I want to share with you guys what He has done for me recently. I hope that doing so will bring you some joy and inspiration of your own.

You see, there's this beautiful thing in life called divine design. A few months ago, a dear friend of mine (who is now a missionary) spoke in church on the subject of divine design - based on a talk Elder Rasband gave us in the Oct 2017 General Conference. It seems like such a simple principle, that God is in the details of our lives and that everything is part of His plan. When I first heard it, my thoughts were something along the lines of: Well, duh. It's a principle that I have taken for granted many times. I only came to realize the depth of it when I realized Drew was the man I was going to marry.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once explained: “None of us ever fully utilizes the people-opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship. You and I may call these intersectings ‘coincidence.’ This word is understandable for mortals to use, but coincidence is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God. He does not do things by ‘coincidence’ but … by ‘divine design.’” 

Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives.

- Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Drew and I were in the same ward for a long time before we really paid attention to each other. After our first date, we both knew how much we enjoyed spending time together, but were skeptical for different reasons. A few months later, he was asking me to marry him in the basket of a hot air balloon, and my "yes" was more sincere and full of joy than any word I'd ever spoken.

Photo Credit: Jessi Lofgren

In the beginning, I didn't see it coming. I really didn't. I thought we were the least compatible people ever, and then I got to know him and realized that he's the greatest friend and partner I could ever ask for. Did I know that eight months ago? Nope. Did God? Absolutely.

Things are divinely guided and planned, but that doesn't mean they go the way we expect them to. Sometimes our expectations and plans are crushed, only to reveal an even greater possibility than we ever imagined. There were so many times when I was sure I knew how my life was going to turn out, who I was going to spend it with, and I was wrong. Over and over, I was disappointed and even angry that God wasn't living up to the promises I thought He'd made me. Oh, how I wish I could have seen into the future. But I couldn't, and that's the purpose of life - to learn from our experiences. To gain patience. To gain trust in God.

I had an image in my mind of the man I was looking for, and then Drew came along and I wanted him far more than I ever wanted that fantastical, perfect man. He's real and so much better. I still remember when I realized that I couldn't imagine life without him. Neither of us are perfect, and that's as it should be. If I'd insisted on finding a man who matched the expectations in my head, I would have been sorely disappointed, because he wouldn't have the depth and real kindness that my husband has. The perfect man wouldn't be able to love me the way Drew does. I am so grateful for the companionship of my imperfect, hard-working, considerate, hilarious man. He is my anchor.

Photo Credit: Alex Trujillo 

I don't see our marriage as something either of us have accomplished, but as a precious gift we've been given and should always protect. Heavenly Father brought us together, and every day I wake up with an almost overwhelming gratitude that He did so.

Guys, most of the time, we are clueless about the blessings that the Lord has in store. It's easy to feel discouraged and depressed when we can't see into the future, but please don't lose hope. God has a plan for you and it's so much better than your plan for you! He knows what's best. He knows what you need. He may take you through some tough things to get there, but the end is so worth it. Find joy in the journey.

I know I'm not anywhere close to the end of my journey. There will be many ups and downs. We won't reach our happily ever after until after this life, and that's by divine design. There will be trials. There will be sacrifices. There will be hard times. Thank goodness we have each other to lean on. I trust in the God who brought us together, and I hope you do, too. Faith in His timing makes life so much brighter!

I love you all. Thanks for letting me share. God is so good. Please trust Him.

Bonnie Gwyn