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March 6, 2026<\/span><\/p>\n Our Story or His?<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThen I heard the Lord asking, \u2018Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?\u2019 I said, \u2018Here I am. Send me.\u2019\u201d Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)<\/em><\/p>\n My life is my own to live. My story to tell in my own way. Therefore, I clutch it tightly in my fist lest I lose my sense of control.<\/p>\n Except \u2026 that never seems to work. Even when I plan out how each day should go, it rarely unfolds as I imagine.<\/p>\n Could there ever be purpose in that?<\/p>\n The prophet Isaiah sure knew something about a change of plans. It started with a God-given vision, which he wrote about in Isaiah 6, where he saw the throne room of God. As he took in God\u2019s holiness, Isaiah realized his own sinfulness and failure by comparison and was overwhelmed. But God loved him too much to leave him in that state. An angel took a burning coal from the altar and used it to cleanse Isaiah\u2019s lips, declaring him forgiven.<\/p>\n Next, Isaiah \u201cheard the Lord asking, \u2018Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?\u2019 [Isaiah] said, \u2018Here I am. Send me\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(Isaiah 6:8).<\/p>\n What was it about that moment that made Isaiah so quick to commit? While we\u2019re not privy to his thought process, I wonder if being saturated in God\u2019s glory put everything into perspective. Perhaps he understood like never before that his life really wasn\u2019t about him at all.<\/p>\n However Isaiah thought<\/em> his story should go, knowing God had something for him to do suddenly mattered more. He took an unexpected detour straight into the heart of God’s will.<\/p>\n So what about us? Does God have a story to tell through our lives as well? Scripture says He does (Psalm 71:15-16) \u2014 and that should color our approach to life.<\/p>\n You see, when we demand our own way, we bounce between happiness and despair as things do or don\u2019t go as we hoped. In the midst of the chaos, it\u2019s easy to miss out on how God wants to use us. But if God does indeed have a plan, there\u2019s another option: We can loosen our grip.<\/p>\n Rather than stewing in the frustration of our unfulfilled agenda, we can lift our eyes to God\u2019s bigger picture. We can open ourselves to His leading and view whatever may come \u2014 even if it\u2019s nothing like we imagined \u2014 as an opportunity to partner with God to express His love to the world.<\/p>\n So whose story are we telling? It\u2019s our choice to make. We can hold tightly to our own way and tell the story of us \u2026 or like Isaiah, we can turn our palms up in surrender and tell the story of God.<\/p>\n Father, help me loosen my grip on the dreams I hold and exchange them for whatever You have for me. Help me approach each day expecting You to show up and use me in some way. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s a version of you that shows up for everyone else \u2014 the strong one, the capable one, the \u201cI\u2019m fine\u201d one. But there\u2019s also the version of you who feels behind, who questions everything at 2 a.m., who wonders if she\u2019s the only one still struggling to believe she\u2019s called. Our new reflection journal resource, Unpolished<\/strong>,<\/em> is designed for that<\/em> version of you \u2014 the one you don\u2019t post about. It helps you slow down long enough to pay attention to your real emotions; your real longings; and the small, sacred ways God has been trying to get your attention. Not when you\u2019re polished, confident, or curated \u2014 but right here, in the unfiltered parts you try to keep quiet.\u00a0<\/strong>You don\u2019t owe the world a perfected story before you can be called. God always begins with the version of you that actually exists. Get your copy of the Unpolished<\/em> journal<\/strong>, and take the first step toward all God has for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n For more from Stacy J. Lowe, you can connect with her over on Instagram.<\/p>\n Micah 6:8, \u201cNo, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God\u201d (NLT).<\/p>\n As humans, we tend to complicate and overthink God\u2019s will for us. But it\u2019s quite clear in scriptures like Micah 6:8: Each moment He gives is an opportunity to choose righteousness, love, and humility. In doing so, we can\u2019t go wrong!<\/p>\n Will you commit to live today open-handed, reflecting God\u2019s goodness and mercy? What might that look like for you? We\u2019d love for you to share about it in the comments.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 by Stacy J. Lowe. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries
STACY J. LOWE<\/span><\/p>\nOUR FAVORITE THINGS<\/h4>\n
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