God Knows Our Stories

I looked around the room, and said to myself, “Who in the world are all these old people?”

Okay, let me back up just a tad. I was about to celebrate a monumental birthday. You know, one of those birthdays where you have crossed the Rubicon. You can look at it at least three ways.
One, I lived long enough to celebrate it. Two, I’ll never be any younger than I am today!!! And three, it’s a good time to look back and see where your path has taken you and what you’ve learned after all these years.

To celebrate, I thought it would be fun for Lance and I to head up to Chicago for my college reunion. How fun to hang out with my old college buddies. That should bring back some youth and vigor. Ha!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, let’s just say I walked into the room and the first person I saw was our senior class president with thick bushy white hair and a long white beard. I took a quick glance around the room and said to myself, “Where are all my college buddies? Who are all these old people??”

Then it dawned on, “I is one.” (And inside…I burst out laughing!!!!)

Anyway, it was a precious time. We went around the room and shared where God had taken us since the last time we met. There were tears, stories of struggles and wonderful victories and most importantly, all of us had seen the faithfulness of our God!!!

It was an encouraging time to be surrounded by such faithful witnesses. Friends who had witnessed that God’s word is true and gave testimony. Yes, our God is faithful and no matter the turns in our lives, we all had experienced God’s goodness and rejoiced together.

This led me to ponder how our lives often take a different turn than expected. “Man plans his way, but God directs his steps.”

Is that not the truth!

We see this in the life of a young woman named Kitty. After her mother died, her father put her in a convent at the age of 9. It was his plan that she would be a nun and her life would be dedicated to God.

But God had other plans.

It turns out that the convent she was sent to was not all it was cracked up to be. By the time she was 18, she and twelve other nuns were looking for an escape. In those days, it was next to impossible.

Word had reached a clergyman, of all people, of their peril. This particular man
was a bit of a radical and not in favor with the “popular” religious folk. He was already pushing a few buttons, so he thought, “What could be worse than rescuing a few nuns?”

So, a clandestine plan was arranged.

A merchant showed up with a wagon full of barrels in which each nun was hid.  Of the twelve, three were sent home and husbands were to be found for the remaining nine. After two years, everyone was married but Kitty.

She had her eye on a young pastor, but he fell in love with another woman. It didn’t take long before she began to note this radical clergyman who was responsible for her rescue. Hmmm, she thought, “he might make a fine husband.”

So, this feisty nun mentioned to this clergyman, “if you were to ask me to marry you, I might not refuse.”

Because he was a bit of a radical for his time, he was concerned about the responsibility of taking on a wife and family. Not to mention that he took no salary!! But this feisty nun began to grow on him. And soon, Kitty and Martin…Martin Luther were married!!!

He had many names for his sweet wife, “Kitty, my rib. My lord, Kate. Doctor Katherine (as she cared for the sick, not only at home…but the many who came to their residence for help and discipleship), and when she got a little bossy, he called her kette which is German for chain.

I couldn’t help but smile. So good to know there were real people, just like us. Ha!!!

There are many stories, but this is my favorite one.

Dr. Luther had been carrying many burdens which weighed heavily on his heart and went through a period of despondency. One day she met him at the door dressed in black. He asked her, “who died?”

She said, “Well, apparently God did…by the way you’re acting!”

This was exactly what Dr. Luther needed to snap him out of his despair.

Today, we know the BIG story of the Reformation because its impact is still being felt today.

But what about all the little stories? The story of Katherine Von Bora, the stories of the other nuns and what about the stories of my friends??

God knows our stories… and has a purpose for each one.

We plan our ways, but it is our Heavenly Father who directs our steps and walks with us each step along the way!!