I wanted to be a news anchor for as long as I could remember. I had it all mapped out. I would say my first name in English and my last name, “Carrasco,” with a Spanish accent and really enunciate the double-r so my audience knew I was Mexican and would find me relatable.
Shortly after graduating from undergrad, I interned for the local newspaper, writing hyper-local stories about the community.
One of my assignments was to photograph a house fire.
I remember standing in the backyard of the home, photographing the damage and wondering, What on earth am I doing? Is the woman who lived there okay? Did she have a family to care for her?
I tearfully called my boyfriend (now husband) and expressed my disgust with this assignment. I was heartbroken—this isn’t why I choose journalism. After the call, I took a hard look at the ground on which I stood: a complete stranger’s yard, her dead koi fish, and twenty-two-year-old me.
In that moment, I heard myself say, Is this where you can do the most good? Is this where you want to be?
Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “[T]here is an appointed time for everything.” I felt those words vibrate throughout my body that day. I wasn’t looking to change course and I certainly wasn’t prepared to turn my back on my dream. However, I couldn’t deny the signs of the detour I needed to make. There is a time to plant and a time to uproot the plant (Ecclesiastes 3:4).
I needed to uproot myself and trust that the Gardener of My Heart, Jesus, would know exactly where to place me next.
Jesus directs the movements of our lives to bring forth the best of His creation that includes you and me. He is ever faithful to our obedience and multiplies His grace when we agree to take the detours He has placed in our lives.
Sister, is the ground on which you are standing leading you closer to Jesus? In prayer, ask Jesus if there is a detour He is asking you to make to grow closer to Him.