By: Nancy Totten

God has been working on me to let go of my tight grip on my schedules and let Him guide. Yes, there are responsibilities, and planning is good and important, and planning with God is vital. But I can then take that plan and make it my priority rather than Him. When I let Him have control, He amazes me every time with how He works things out. His timing is always perfect!

Here is an example over this past year. While visiting my mom, I happened to be there when a dear friend, Ann Cann, turned 95. We enjoyed wishing her Happy Birthday and visiting. What a special joy! It turned out to be my last time seeing her. I grew up in church with Ann’s daughter, Kathleen. Ann and I roomed together when we went to Alaska to the village of a dear mutual friend to teach a VBS. We shared fond memories of that special time, and Ann was certainly one of many saints who influenced me growing up. Ann used to be active in the plays written, directed, and acted by and for people at Atherton (where my mom now lives). The plays would always include the line, “If Ann Cann do it, you can”.

My mom’s birthday is the end of January. Something came up here so that I left a week earlier than I had originally planned. It turned out that I was there just in time for Ann’s memorial service. What a joy celebrating her life and seeing Kathleen and others of Ann’s family. I also saw other people who poured into my life that I hadn’t seen in decades. If left to my plans, I may not have been there to see her on her birthday and certainly would not have been there for her memorial service. I’m so grateful for God timing!