In Christian circles, we’re fond of talking about finding God, until we realize that He has been there all along.

Surprise! God Has Your Best Interest at Heart

Posted on by Michele Morin

When C.S. Lewis wrote Surprised by Joy, he was clear that it was a “spiritual autobiography” designed to track his pilgrimage from atheist to deist and, finally, at long last to “the most dejected, reluctant convert in all of England.” In Christian circles, we’re fond of talking about finding God, until we realize that He has been there all along—and like C.S. Lewis, we are surprised by the joy of a love that came to us before we ever reciprocated, an unconditional love.

Growing up in a home in which mental illness and addiction seemed to be setting the agenda, it was a surprise (and a joy!) to discover that God was actually mightily involved in every detail of my life. In the midst of the chaos, He was NOT standing idly by, but was deeply involved in bringing me to Himself. He was longing to be gracious and to show me compassion!  He had His own agenda in mind for me that He would be faithful to fulfill!

In my small hometown in Northern Maine, God bent over backwards to connect me with godly mentors and opportunities to test His faithfulness. When I bought a one-way ticket to California for my first semester of college, I pictured myself taking flight and pulling up my roots in Maine. I had learned a love for teaching the Bible, so I majored in Christian Education, transferred to a small college in northeast Georgia, crammed a bachelor’s degree into three years, and began wondering where in the world my next adventure would take me.

God is full of surprises! I landed right back here in Maine, and there’s so much more to this story, so I invite you to click on over to Mary Geisen’s writing home where she has opened wide the door for me to tell my story and, in doing so, to also #TellHisStory, because, after all, every story circles back around to Him.

Let yourself be surprised by joy,

Michele Morin

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

31 thoughts on “Surprise! God Has Your Best Interest at Heart”

  2. Michele,
    I like to call this “connecting the dots of God’s faithfulness”. He is always faithful but often we fail to look back and see His hand at work through it all. Journaling has been an amazing tool in my life to help me do this. I’m on my 72nd journal since starting in 1989. I’m grateful to God for the stories He writes on our hearts.
    I too, love CS Lewis. His story inspires me on so many levels.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Debi

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      1. Yeah, my kids can’t wait to read them when I’m gone. Haha! I told them to realize that there are no issues between us in case they read what seems like an unresolved conflict. Sometimes I forget to follow up on something that was weighing on me.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Great post Michele! Your comment about reading a part of scripture that surprises you really struck me. Many times have I read something and thought, “wow”, how did I not see that before. I love those God moments.

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    1. Yes! I think God loves to do that, and I don’t want to miss the moment.
      I think we have a tendency to want to “tame” the Bible as we read it. Especially if it’s a familiar passage. May we approach inspired words with new eyes every time!

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  13. […] Surprise! God Has Your Best Interest at Heart!  Mary Geisen is a long-time friend in the blogging community. She is well known for her hospitality, and, I have a feeling it will soon be a well known fact that she is a newly minted grandmother! It was a joy to share my own story with the friends who gathered for #TellHisStory in March. Click here to join the gathering . . . […]

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