April Jeppson: People come into our lives for a reason
Published 8:45 pm Friday, December 20, 2024
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Every Little Thing by April Jeppson
Life is full of twists and turns, unexpected challenges and little miracles. One of the greatest mysteries, at least to me, is how people seem to enter our lives at exactly the right time. Some stay forever, becoming the family we choose, while others are here for just a season. Yet, each one leaves a mark, teaching us, guiding us and shaping our journey in ways we often don鈥檛 recognize until later.
I think about this often at work. I can鈥檛 tell you how many times I鈥檝e had a moment of panic wondering, 鈥淲hat am I going to do now?鈥 Someone moves, quits or takes a step back to enjoy the beautiful chaos of grandkids and leisure. And there I am, holding the pieces, wondering how I鈥檓 going to keep it all together.
But here鈥檚 the thing: Time and time again, everything works out. Sure, the path is sometimes bumpy and unpredictable, but we always get there. And it鈥檚 not because of me or my amazing ability to juggle (though I do have a pretty good track record with multitasking). It鈥檚 because the right people show up when I need them.
I can鈥檛 help but think this isn鈥檛 an accident. In fact, it鈥檚 almost as if God is preserving certain people until I鈥檓 ready for them, or maybe until they鈥檙e ready for me. The timing is so precise that it feels like divine choreography. I鈥檒l admit, it doesn鈥檛 always look that way in the middle of a mess. But hindsight has a funny way of revealing the pattern.
Think about it: your favorite people 鈥 those friends who feel like home, mentors who see the potential in you before you see it yourself, co-workers who make the tough days bearable 鈥 they just happen to be on this earth at the same time as you. That doesn鈥檛 feel like dumb luck. It feels like a gift.
God is at work in ways we can鈥檛 always see or understand, and he has a purpose in it. It鈥檚 a beautiful reminder that while we鈥檙e busy trying to figure everything out, God already has the map. And part of that map includes the people we meet along the way.
Some of them are there to push us forward when we鈥檙e stuck. Others remind us to slow down and enjoy the view. Some teach us hard lessons (the kind we鈥檇 rather not repeat), and others bring joy and light into our darkest days.
When I stop to think about it, I鈥檓 in awe. This intricate web of connections, the way our lives intersect at just the right moments 鈥 it鈥檚 nothing short of miraculous.
So, when someone new crosses my path, I try to remind myself: This is no coincidence. Whether they鈥檙e here for a season or a lifetime, there鈥檚 a reason they鈥檙e here now. And no matter how bumpy the road gets, I know we鈥檒l find our way, together.
黄瓜视频n April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.