Divine Surprises

“You of little faith… why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31

A gathering without cake is just a meeting - the hearts reminded us that we got through 2025 with God and we still need Him as we walk into 2026

I don’t like surprises. I could take you down a long history of childhood experiences that probably led me to this realization, but the one surprise that truly became a tipping point happened when I was an adult. (Sorry, Shane and Britt—but I have to go there.)

Here’s the short version.

I was doing all the things: the mom thing, the working-at-a-college-in-the-fall thing as a mental health counselor, and the wife-of-a-farmer thing as harvest was wrapping up. It was the weekend before my birthday, and my husband asked if I wanted to go with him to Fargo for a Bean Conference.

“Oh heck yeah!”

I took Friday off. My parents agreed to watch the kids. I searched for things to do in Fargo while Shane was in meetings. I packed a bag for 24 hours, and we left early Friday morning.

Fargo isn’t somewhere I go often, but I’d been there enough to know the general layout. Shane told me the conference was at NDSU, so I knew roughly where we were headed. That’s why my brain started questioning things when he turned left toward the airport instead of right toward campus. I wondered if maybe the campus had expanded closer to the airport. Shane, who knows Fargo much better than I do, just smiled and told me to grab the folder from the back seat.

Inside was a plane ticket to Texas—to see my sister for my birthday.

My brain could not compute what was about to unfold over the next 15 minutes.

We had left later than planned because of farm stuff. I had only packed for 24 hours. I had grabbed my work bag with a few things to entertain myself in case I had downtime. Suddenly, I was told I had 15 minutes to get to my gate, that I was already checked in, and that I just needed to go through security. I missed the plane.

Winter is long. I miss my walks outside. My therapist issued a challenge put your boots on and go outside. God surprised me with the most beautiful night sky.

I can’t fully explain the flood of emotions I experienced in that moment, but I was thankful to be in the Fargo airport—where the presence of people is minimal once a flight leaves. What that experience reinforced for me was something I already believed to be true: surprises make me feel out of control.

My brain goes into overdrive. My thoughts don’t compute. I move through life like a zombie, desperately needing the pause button so I can make sense of what’s happening. Historically, surprises have ended with a breakdown—leaving me vulnerable and embarrassed. And I really don’t like being perceived as someone who doesn’t have their poop in a group. Needless to say, my people have been told—multiple times—no surprises. And thankfully, they understand.

Fast forward to today.

As I sat in my quiet time, I felt a nudge to re-evaluate my assessment of surprises. Reflecting on the past couple of weeks, I was reminded of some pretty incredible experiences—experiences that felt a lot like surprises. The difference? They weren’t human-orchestrated. They were God surprises.

As I sat with that realization, a smile spread across my face and tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.

I love those surprises.

I began to notice a clear difference between the story I told above and the surprises God brings:

1. There is a strange but steady peace in what is unfolding.

2. My brain actually feels capable of thinking thoughts.

3. I experience emotions without the need to curl up in a fetal position.

4. And when all is said and done, I have more energy coming out than I did going in.

So what lesson am I learning in all of this?

This is what it looks like to trust God. To trust that He is at work in my life. To believe—really believe—that God is in control of everything (emphasis on every—all of it, always; no surprises for God). And to remember that God is a good God who desires good things for me.

The hustle and bustle of cleaning up after a meal and I turn around to this God surprise - my people sitting there with all the peace of putting a puzzle together.

So here’s to me walking out my days allowing God to surprise me—the way only He can.

The beauty of a brunch date with a friend and a beautiful latte created by someone who brings joy to their job and the people she serves. A God surprise that reveals your need for amazing friends and the community around you.

The beauty of the color red and the God surprise of how his detail for colors can make a woman feel empowered.