CrossRoads: My Thoughts and Yours (Hopefully)

We have all heard at least one person make the statement, "Just do_______, God is big enough to bless it, or else stop you from doing it." I know that I have made the statement many times. I was told this several times when Josh and I first got engaged. Josh asked God when we should get married, and God told Josh, "Don't think about it." A lot of people had a hard time wrapping their minds around that one, including me. It took me 5 or 6 months to let it sink it. When we finally did get married, everything was perfect. In six weeks time, my Mom had my wedding all planned out according to my wishes. She made my wedding dress in 6 hours. I had tulips in my bouquet (apparently a hard flower to have, because they don't last very long...plus it was mid April). I had a twelve-day honeymoon on a missionary's salary! My in-laws were able to come all the way from Alaska - and God took care of the cost in an unexpected way! Had we "just done it," expecting God to bless it or stop it, how much would it have cost us...financially...emotionally?

One time in Lake Charles, I wanted to see my family. I pushed and pushed Josh about it. I had a pretty good argument too! I had just recently had Ruth, and my parents hadn't seen her. I wanted to show off my Baby Girl! What new Mama can resist the urge to want to place her brand new Baby in her parents arms? Like I said, I had a really good argument, and both Josh and I needed a break. My parents bought us tickets after we got the okay to go. Then we all had a crew meeting with the head of the ministry we were at, all vacation time was taken away. We (the ministry) were leaving for Israel, and needed all crew to be available to help prepare the ship. Um...we had just spent $500 of my parents money to fly home, and now I had to call the airline and get them changed! Changing the tickets was $100 per ticket, making the final ticket price $700 for two people!

For our wedding, we waited PAINFULLY sometimes for God to give us a date (we were engaged 8 months by the time we got married). For the trip home, we went ahead of God, and paid a big price, literally.

My questions: Is one thought right and the other wrong? Is it wrong to go ahead of God, and wait for Him to stop you if that is not the direction He wants you to go in? What if you NEED to figure out what to do with your life, and God isn't talking? I am sure there are stories out there where the second half of this note turned out good (choosing something, and God blessing/stopping it). What are they? Are you willing to share?