I winced as she put the cage over my face and pulled tightly on the straps that were holding me down. In broken English, the somewhat kind, somewhat stern looking Romanian nurse explained that the MRI of my spine should take about 40 minutes and that I should lie very still. A buzzing sound signaled the test was beginning, and the table on which I was lying slowly began moving my tethered body into the narrow tube.

Needless to say, the family mission trip I had dreamt of since my now-college-aged sons were little was not turning out as I had planned. The day before we left, intense muscle spasms began in my back—often and at random. A delayed flight in Charlotte caused a missed connection in London. After a ten hour wait, our family was diverted to Germany and placed on a flight with another delay. Finally, at 1am, we landed in Bucharest. None of our checked baggage arrived with us. By 3am, our missionary friend had us settled into an old communist-era apartment with broken pipes and a rickety elevator. Weary and exhausted, I fell into the twin bed in a stifling room without air conditioning.

I could barely move and the pain was relentless.

But I had made plans!

The purpose of our trip was to minister to orphans and Gypsy children. We’d packed suitcases full of candy and salvation bracelets. We had packed balloons and practiced making balloon animals. I had books to give away and a gospel message prepared that even included a nifty visual aid. But none of our supplies arrived and I could barely move…for days.

I felt benched, sidelined, confused. Why was all of this happening to me when I had come to share the gospel? What was God up to?

Lying in that MRI machine, I realized that God was up to His plan.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21

You see, because I had been unable to participate in the ministry activities, my family was asked to step up. My husband delivered a heartfelt gospel message and two of my sons gave testimonies they would not have given if our program had happened as planned. And guess what—the audience was mostly teenage boys who were deeply touched in a way they never would have been by candy or balloon animals.

If my plan had gone into effect, we would have been more comfortable, but likely less effective for the Kingdom. In God’s plan, I was humbled (which is always a good thing) and my sons were enabled to step out of their comfort zones to share the gospel through their unique stories.

On the last day of our trip, our luggage finally arrived and we were able to give all the goodies we had packed to my missionary friend. Today, I learned that the teenage boys who had heard my sons speak were wanting to step up and do some ministry with the younger children. She sent me a video of them passing out the candy we had sent and learning how to make balloon animals.

We don’t always get to see why we suffer or why we get sidelined, but this time I’m thankful that I did. God had to wreck my plans in order to something greater than I could have ever imagined.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6