Don't Put a Period

"Have you ever put a period where God puts a comma?"-Mark Batterson

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            I love this quote! It is my new life quote. It is a good reminder that God is in control of everything and that we are not. We can go ahead a put a period where we want but God as the right to take it away whenever and however He wants. All you have to do to put the comma there is say ONE LITTLE YES, even when it is hard to say it. We could always get the idea for ourselves and can see it in other people too or at least I can. That doesn't mean anything though but to pray for them more. I will tell you about 2 experiences that I have been through or going through right now that God is putting a period in one spot and comma in another. Then I will use an example of something else that that could happen but not tell you the whole story.
            The first experience is seeing if I want to change churches. I think for a few years now I have put a period at the end of changing churches. I have tried millions of times before to change churches but I could never find the right one so I just stopped searching for one. I made myself go to the one I am going to now for a long time. Here lately though, I think God has put the comma and the go ahead on changing churches because I found one that I have liked so far. Still getting use to it and trying to learn more about it but it seems to have a lot of the things I want in a church.
           It is small and friendly. It already has people that I know from different areas of life in it so I don't feel alone like I did at all the other churches I tried before. It seems like I can relate to the people there a lot better then where I am now. It is like God saying to me, "It is my time that I want you to change churches and here is the one I have for you. You have tried before and they haven't worked but now this one will."
            The second experience is a closer one to my heart and I put a period where I shouldn't have but again God is putting a comma there and I am getting blessed each time I am with her. I had these special babysitters growing up. They were close friends of the families and we met them at a church we were going to. They babysat me for about 4 years and then we had to move but through my elementary years I remember going and spending a week each summer with them. Then I got too good, I mean in high school, and put a period there and really never saw them again. I mean I would still send them birthday and Christmas cards but that was it. Going on 5 years ago, the husband, aka my adopted dad, I guess you could say, passed away from cancer.
             I got to see him a few times before he passed away in that state but it was hard. I think it was hard for me because before that I haven't seen him in years. I honestly think it was in elementary school or early high school years that I saw him healthy for the last time. During that transition, I promised myself that I would not stop seeing my adopted mom after he passed away. I would see her every chance I got and send her every card. That was the push that I needed or should I say comma I needed to see them again. Plus now my parents and I live a lot closer now then we did when I was in school so that helps too. I put a period there because I couldn't make time for that and I have regretted it ever since but now there is a comma and I see her every chance I get.
             The story or example that I am going to tell you is this: "Don't let other people put a period where God wants to put a comma." This could go for your dreams or different friendships that you have out in the world. People want to help and they want to care especially if they are close to you but only God knows what is going on and how to handle it. I have learned the hard way and instead of going to friends like I use to, now I go to God with everything especially when it is hard and important. You have to be careful too that you don't let the comma or period of your dreams get in the way of other areas of your life.
            It is also funny and/or strange because God can let you see a period in someone else's life but you might have a comma in your life. I heard a story about how a guy had a comma in his life on marriage but yet this women had a period and wanted to give up on marriage. Yet I now see a beautiful and Godly marriage between the two of them. I also like to think of it this way: "You could be the comma in someone else's life. You could take away that period and add a comma on for years to come." I could go on about a lot of situations that I have had or have in my life where God has shown me I have put a period but He changed it with a comma like the college I went to but I won't go through that because it just seems like I am repeating myself plus this entry would never end if I did that. That is how many times God can change your life with just a small comma at the end of every situation, not a period.