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gala dressThirteen years or so ago I walked into a store looking for a summer skirt. Instead, I found an Ann Taylor evening skirt . . . in my size . . . for $4. So I tried it on just for fun. It fit perfectly. Which means I HAD to buy it in spite of the fact that I had no IDEA that I would ever have an occasion to wear it.

So often we have things we’ve acquired or earned that we’re not sure we’ll ever use. It may be an evening skirt or your grandmother’s china or a degree that you thought you’d use until marriage and babies and life got in the way. It may be a manuscript that you’ve poured your heart into that’s sitting on a thumb drive gathering dust. You have no reason to pull it out, but it fits perfectly.

Thirteen years ago I bought a skirt—God knows why. Oh, that’s right, God DID know why. He had a plan and it just so happened an evening skirt would come in handy. I bought that skirt before I was writing seriously. Before I had an agent or an editor or a published book. Certainly before I had any reason to dress up for an awards ceremony.

I didn’t win the Carol Award over the weekend. But that’s okay. Wearing a skirt I bought before I had any notion that I might write and publish a novel reminded me that God can weave every detail into his plan. Nothing is wasted.

So if you’re feeling like it was a complete waste to buy that dress, take that class, or write that book let me assure you God has a plan for you and he can use everything. All you have to do is wait in obedience.

And in my case, not eat too many French fries in the meantime.