God works in mysterious ways!

You may have heard that saying before. Did you know it's not actually in the Bible?

However, Romans 11:33 says:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out!”

And many are familiar with one of my favorite verses:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

How often do we actually trust that, though?

Sometimes we can't see what that future is or understand God's perfect timing, but hindsight is 20/20.

When I started college, I really didn't know what I wanted to do for a career. I had dreams of being an astronaut, an actress, a teacher, a housewife, a lawyer, and the list went on. Some were more realistic than others.

How was I supposed to narrow down my entire life?

Then I saw two movies that inspired me: Stand and Deliver, and Dangerous Minds. Both about teachers.

My mom was an elementary school teacher. I remember helping her grade papers after school. I thought, maybe I should be a teacher?

One day as a Freshman, I visited my friends across the hall in my dorm. They were stuck on a math problem.

I love math!

I asked them what kind of math they were in and they said College Algebra.

I hadn't had any math in college thus far, so I was apprehensive. I had taken Calculus in High School, but it was only High School, not college!

I told them I would see if I could figure it out, so they gave me their textbook.

It was exactly the same math I had taken in 8th grade.

So, I showed them how to do it.

One of the girls turned to me and said, “You explained it so much better than the teacher!”

I never forgot that.

I decided I wanted to be the next Jaime Escalante!

The next semester I started taking math again. I wanted to teach high school math, but in order to do that, I needed a math-education degree or a mathematics degree.

Instead, I ended up with a Business degree with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and a Theater minor.

Life happens!

I thought that was it for my math teaching career. I gave up on that dream and got a job as an IT Recruiter with one of the best companies ever.

That job was a godsend.

I had wonderful co-workers, learned a lot, and they even let me start working remotely when I got married and moved away. I stayed with them just under 20 years!

At the time, I probably would have said my life had simply taken a different path.

Remember the ladies that told me about their church in my post When People Leave? Well, one of them randomly asked me to do an online book study with her after COVID. Everyone was meeting via Zoom during quarantine, so we continued with an online book club in 2023.

I was excited to have another hobby.

We read Dream Big by Bob Goff. It's a great book…I highly recommend it!

Then a couple weeks later, I was hiking with another good friend and we were talking about schools.

I had been homeschooling my girls and wanted some options for sending them to private school. Her daughter’s school was expensive, but regardless, it was full and not taking any more applications.

Then she mentioned something unexpected.

They were hiring teachers.

She told me if I worked there, they would let my kids go there; in fact, they preferred it!

And she knew something else about me:

I had always wanted to teach math.

I told her I didn't think they would hire me: I have a Business degree - not a Math or Education degree.

She reminded me that because it was a private school, the requirements were different. And after COVID, schools were hurting for math teachers.

She thought I should at least apply.

Typically I wouldn't have done it, but Bob Goff gave me the encouragement to go for it!

I had no idea what was about to happen…

I got a call from the Dean.

Then an interview.

A couple days later, I received a contract offer.

I was going to be an Algebra teacher!

I never thought I would've had a midlife career change, much less into my preferred profession.

It was a dream come true.

And there was more.

My daughters would be able to attend school with me.

And on top of everything else, we would receive half tuition!

Looking back, I can see something I couldn't see while I was living it.

God hadn't forgotten that college girl who wanted to teach math.

For nearly 20 years, He gave me a stable career, with people I loved. That job allowed me to work remotely when I married and moved away. It gave my family stability through seasons when that was exactly what we needed.

Then, years later, God used a woman from church, an online book club, the book, a conversation with a friend while hiking, a school that happened to need math teachers, Sunday school experience (When God Prepares Your Heart), and a dream I thought I had given up decades earlier.

None of those things seemed connected while they were happening.

Looking backward, they were.

Maybe that's why God's timing can be so difficult to trust. We see one moment at a time. God sees the whole story.

Sometimes what looks like a detour isn't a detour at all.

Sometimes a dream isn't dead.

Sometimes the answers is simply, not yet.

Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

If you're waiting for something you've prayed for—or you've already decided that a door has closed for good—don't assume God has forgotten you.

You may not be able to trace His path yet.

But someday, you may look back and realize He was leading you all along.