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Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20
Lately, God has prompted me to look back and see His work along the path that lead me to Johnson Space Center in Houston. It seems the pieces fall into place clearly as I reflect on God's guidance.
If someone told me when I was a kid, even when I was in my 20s, that I would someday be an engineer at NASA, I would have laughed hysterically.
But God’s plans were far better than I could ever imagine!
As I look back, I can see each step with which He led me to that amazing place.
Step 1: The wondrous world in a microscope. When I was ten years old, I was sick and had lots of tests run. One day, when the tech came to draw my blood, I asked if I could into the lab with him and watch. He let me look in the microscope and told me about white cells, red cells, and platelets. I was addicted on the spot.
God filled me with a sense of wonder and gave me a glimpse of His creation's intricate beauty. I was captivated by this marvelous thing we call the human body.
Step 2: An uncharacteristic boldness. In high school, back in the days when girls were expected to take home economics and shorthand, I filled my schedule with biology, chemistry, and physics classes. My adviser took one look at my list and refused to approve it but the love of science God poured into my heart and mind was too strong to give up. Now, believe it or not, I was shy and easily intimidated when I was young. I stood my ground and harassed the poor lady until she signed it to get rid of me.
Where would I be now if I'd given up and allowed my adviser to push me, a round peg, into a square hole? I didn't realize it at the time but God gave me the boldness I needed to follow my heart.
When God leads you in a direction that might not fit other's plans for you, be bold! Follow God and see where He takes you.
Step 3: M. D. Anderson. When I graduated from college with a biology degree, I went to work in the chemistry lab at M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston. Because M.D.A. was a large hospital, many companies sent us prototype lab machines to use and evaluate. Occasionally a piece of equipment would break down and we’d call them for help. Troubleshooting often involved taking off the back to check wiring and wiggle strange looking electrical components. I loved it and soon became the designated fixer.
I'd never been a technical person. If something broke, I always yelled for my husband. But God had different plans. I became interested in how the equipment was designed and how it analyzed the samples to give us the information we needed.
Stay open to God's voice. Allow Him to do the unexpected.
Step 4: Back to college. At some point I asked the guy on the phone how I could get into design of this fantastic stuff. He described a brand new field, biomedical engineering, and suggested I look into that. Now, don’t bug your eyes at this term. It’s just a fancy way of saying that we learn all we can about the body and design equipment to study it or to diagnose problems.
With my husband's full support , I went to college to get an engineering degree. The girl who never had any confidence in her math abilities buried myself in math. In my research, I worked with a group who examined how nerve cells communicated with each other. I was fascinated!
A few years later, I proudly hung an engineering diploma on my wall. At the time I didn’t consider that it was totally God and not me.
When God takes you out of your comfort zone, accept the challenge. Be assured, He will provide the courage to step in with gusto.
God's plan comes together! One morning a couple years later, I went for a job interview at NASA. They had an upcoming shuttle mission that focused on how the body's nervous system operated in no gravity. They told me I was the perfect person and, that Monday, I drove to JSC to begin my new job.
God's path began with a ten year old staring into a microscope and ended at NASA. Only He could lead me on such an unexpected journey. Each step prepared me for a life greater and grander than I ever imagined.
Look back at the wandering path your life has followed. Open your eyes of faith and God will show you the miracle of His guidance. Perhaps you life now looks nothing like you imagined. Maybe your steps have been hard but God has used each step to mold you into the person you are today.
Have you landed in a place that seems too difficult to bear? Trust the One who creates every winding path. He will use this time to prepare you for tomorrow. A tomorrow beyond your wildest imaginings.
Blessed? Please share!
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