I recently received an email to inform me that my High School TEN year reunion was approaching this summer. My first response was… that’s impossible! After some initial denial, I have finally come to terms with the fact that yes I did graduate in 2002, and I’m not as young as I might like to think that I am.

I graduated in 2002 and I was 17, so yes you did the math right I’m 27:) I can still remember when my name was called to walk across the stage to receive my diploma. I almost tripped walking through my row, and the person announcing my name also mentioned my aspirations for my immediate future. The plan was to travel Europe with my best friend Ainsley and then go to University to become a teacher.

Well..neither one of those happened. (Ainsley went to Europe without me) and God hijacked my plans.

I’m so glad He did… (though Europe is still on the top of the list of things to do)

This last decade has been filled with some crazy ups and downs and some pain along the way but also with a TON of fun, adventure, laughter, and doing things and going places with God that I never could have dreamed for myself at 17.

In reflecting on the last ten years and where I am now, it isn’t the places I have gone or the things I have done that I am most grateful for, but it is for the journey of my heart.

I can remember being 17 and the cry of my heart was: “God I want to love you more! I want to love you with everything!” I was so sincere, but it felt like all I had was longing.

My greatest testimony of the last ten years and what I am most grateful for, is I can honestly say that I love Jesus more at 27, than I did a decade ago. I say this with no merit of my own, for it is God who has preserved me and led me on the journey, but He answered my weak and sincere prayer to love Him for real, and turned my longing and my zeal into something of substance.

The last decade has not always been easy, but through every difficult circumstance I can honestly say that God met me and gave me the strength I needed to overcome. He has been with me every step of the way and has never left my side. On my days of great triumph and my days of seeming defeat He has been my Faithful friend. Through every situation He has been inviting me into a deeper revelation of His love.

I have found that letting God hijack my plans and surrendering to Him is the best and only way to live. God is the One who knows how to lead our hearts perfectly. He is the One who is the author of our story, and if we allow Him to have His way, He will finish the work that He has started in us.

He is weaving each and every one of our stories together into something beautiful, where He will be glorified through it all.

I want my testimony at 37 to be that I love Jesus more than I do in this moment. My greatest desire is that if I live to be in my 80′s I will have a greater love for Jesus at the end of my journey with Him than I did at the beginning.

I believe that everyday God wants to take us deeper into His love. He wants us to trust Him with our lives. Allow Him to be the author of your story and maybe even hijack your plans. You can trust Him.

“Man makes plans in his heart but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

Candace Nashman is currently a student at Rockhurst University majoring in Mass Communications and Non- Profit Leadership. Prior to returning to school, Candace worked as an Account Executive at a radio station in her hometown of Calgary Canada and in 2006, moved to Kansas City to be on full time staff at the International House of Prayer. While on staff at the House of Prayer Candace served as the marketing coordinator for Onething Ministries, as well as an MC, and speaker for onething regionals from 2007-2009. Her passion is to see her generation love Jesus with their whole hearts and walk in their identity in Christ no matter what sphere of influence may be in.  For more from Candace and the PodQueen, click here.