God’s Word tells us that “He shall direct your paths” and that is exactly what I experienced. It actually started around the last couple of months in 2017. As I was engaging in a Bible study with the ladies in my neighborhood (Priscilla Shirer’s Voice of God), I began to live out this scripture from Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Prior to this time, I wanted to trust Him, but I wasn’t quite there yet. There were small urgings that were leading me in this direction. A podcast that a friend recommended that led to another podcast I listened to, then a friend needed some volunteers to be coached, so she could get her certification as a life coach; and other things that started to really change my perspective and help me realize that God was the only place I could put my trust.

He continued to lead me, all the while, lighting up steps on my path, encouraging me to trust Him and waiting for me step into the plan that He had for me, continuing to open the doors and lead me through them one at a time.

As He often does, He made it crystal clear that it was Him that was working in my life.

There was no other explanation for the path that was so expertly laid out before me. It didn’t require anything but trust and faith—as He lit up a step, all I had to do was follow. I only saw that step and I had no idea where it was leading—I just had to be willing to trust that wherever it was leading was perfect. I took a step, and He would light up another. I took that step, and He would light up the next. The more I trusted Him, the easier it was to take that next step, even without knowing the how, or the why, or what the future held. I knew that the future held God, and that He held me. And for the first time in my life, that was enough for me.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

I had been feeling burdened, burned out, and overwhelmed the last couple of years. My job was demanding, and I was weary. Additionally, I had lost most of my self-confidence, and I was essentially just surviving, definitely not thriving. It took everything I had to get up and do life every day. Most people probably didn’t notice that I was struggling as much as I was. My emotional health was at an all time low in my life and I questioned how much longer I could go on like that. I had prayed for months and months for God to show me what I was here for, to give me some inkling that I would not have to go on like this forever.

I had a good job and many blessings, and I felt like I should have nothing to complain about, which only made me feel worse.

I thought I was being ungrateful for feeling this way, but I just couldn’t shake it no matter how I tried.

It was clear that God was going before me and opening every door just in time for me to walk through. One example I saw during this time is when I had to convince my frugal husband to let me quit my job and spend over $20,000 preparing and training to open my new life coaching business. I kept wondering is this the right time to talk to him about it, and I kept feeling a “No,” was the answer.

One day, I felt a “Yes,” and we talked about it.

He told me to go for it.

He was definitely led by the Spirit because I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined him saying “Yes” to my dream. But if God places a dream in my heart, I know that I can trust Him to bring it to pass.

Another example was when I had registered for life coaching school that was scheduled for September. I prayed that I might find a way to be able to somehow start training sooner, so I could get started on my business. As it turns out, the school that I applied for had so many sign up that they decided to host another session at the end of May. I was able to attend the earlier session, get certified at the end of August and start working on getting my coaching business up and running a few months earlier than expected.

Since then, I can recognize several incidents and people that He was clearly using in my life to lead me to the point where he started to lead me down this path. It still amazes me—I guess because of my limited human understanding—how divinely He can orchestrate things in our lives to accomplish His plans.

We may not always feel Him actively working in our lives, but I know that I can always trust that He “shall give me the desires of my heart” (Psalm 37:4), and that He will bring them to pass.

I learned to have faith and trust that He is always in control.

I continue to trust Him and be faithful to Him as He has been faithful to me.

I continue to ask Him to guide me on this path that He has laid out for me.

I share the knowledge that He has led me to share, I remain obedient to His calling in my life.

I continue to live as if He will never leave me or forsake me and trust in His promises.

I pray boldly and I’m no longer afraid to expect Him to show up in my life.

When she met her current husband in 2001, Jill Wright was deep in debt and living paycheck to paycheck. Through focus and hard work they paid off the debt, started saving and turned the ugly financial picture around. Since that time, God has blessed them generously as they worked to transform their financial life and ultimately build a nest egg that allowed them to retire in 2018 at ages 50 and 53.

Since leaving her corporate job to answer God’s call to help women repaint their own financial picture, Jill operates her own coaching business as a Financial Confidence Coach.  She lives out her passion and calling each day by helping women give up shame around spending and money.  Her clients are enabled with the skills they need to build a financial legacy they are proud of. Jill volunteers in her community as a coordinator for Financial Peace University, on the boards of Barefoot Republic, Coach Approach and Day 7, and as a mentor for Leaving the Cocoon, a prison ministry for women. Follow her on Facebook, or e-mail her at MoreMoneyCents@gmail.com.