Driving home from a shopping trip the other day, I noticed traffic slow down on the other side of the road. I expected to see a funeral cortege, but instead saw an elaborate wedding carriage drawn by handsome white horses bedecked with pink plumes. The stagecoach was driven by two grooms, resplendent in top hat and tails, with matching pink accessories. I was very interested to see the bride herself and slowed down as I passed her window. What I saw imprinted itself on my mind. Instead of seeing a beautiful girl enjoying her fairytale moment, I saw a stressed and anxious face. The bride had clearly not realised how windy the drive would be and was frantically holding onto her elaborate hairstyle and veil. I detected not just despair, but also tears. She was hating this moment, a moment that she had no doubt planned and dreamt about for months.

We all have dreams and visions of the future. We imagine how certain things will go don’t we? We plan and scheme and work towards goals. But what if the unthinkable happens and they don’t work out how we foresaw? What then? Is God still in control?

As those of you who know us personally are well aware, we have waited for a long time to move house. Every single aspect of this move has not gone according to my dreams or plans. And yet, I have been given such faith that it will still work out for our good. At just the right times when I have been low, someone unexpected will text or ring, or even, as happened earlier this week, send flowers. God IS looking after me. Just not in ways I imagined, or using channels I am used to. So is He still in control?

Sometimes we come to the final hurdle and it feels higher than all the other ones we have jumped. It is helpful to remember that it is not higher at all, we are just more tired than we were at the start. So is He still in control?

Today we could exchange contracts on our new house and have places guaranteed for our three boys at the school of our choice. If this doesn’t happen, is He still in control?

When you believe, as I do with all of my heart, that God never makes errors of judgment; never has to start again because He got it wrong; never walks away from something because its difficult; never forsakes those He loves; never depends on me to get it right; never needs either my agreement or my understanding; never gives us a dream only to snatch it away; never decides to go the easy route instead… then you KNOW in the very depths of your soul that in spite of circumstances being against you, HE IS IN CONTROL.

So as I hold on today to my dream, join me. Hold on to yours too. Don’t worry about the apparent chaos around you. When we allow God to dream our dreams we will never be disappointed with how they turn out.