Dear Friends,

There are so many things we do not know. We do not know if the economy will dip or if our team will win. We do not know what our spouse is thinking or how our kids will turn out. We don’'t even know "what we ought to pray" (Rom. 8:26). But according to the apostle Paul, we can be absolutely certain about one thing. We know...

"...that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Your life, with its peaks and valleys, is a crafted narrative written by a good God, who is working toward your supreme good.

God, in other words, isn’'t making up a plan as he goes along. Nor did he wind up the clock and walk away. "The Most High God rules the kingdom of man- kind and sets over it whom he will" (Dan. 5:21 ESV). He "executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another" (Ps. 75:7 ESV). "The LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind" (Jer. 30:24 ESV). Look at those verbs: God rules, sets, executes, accomplishes. These terms confirm the existence of heavenly blueprints and plans. Those plans include you. "In him we were also chosen,...according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Eph. 1:11).

I saw an example of this process in our kitchen. My intent was to chat with my wife, Denalyn. She was stirring up a delicacy for someone's birthday. She assured me she could talk and bake at the same time. So I talked. She baked. But as she baked, I stopped talking.

Denalyn buzzed about the kitchen like the queen of the hive. She snatched boxes off the shelves, pulled bowls out of the pantry. She grabbed the carton of eggs with one hand and butter with the other, never pausing to look.

She positioned the ingredients and utensils on the table as a surgeon would her tools. Once everything was in place, off she went. Eggs cracking, yokes drop- ping. Shake this, stir that. Pour the milk. Measure the sugar. Sift, mix, and beat. She was a blur of hands and elbows, a conductor of the kitchen, the Cleopatra of cuisine, the Da Vinci of da kitchen.

She popped the pan into the oven, turned the knob to 350 degrees, wiped her hands with a towel, turned to me, and said the words I longed to hear, "Want to lick the bowl?" I fell at her feet and called her blessed. Well, maybe not. But I did lick the bowl, spatula, and beaters. And I did wonder if Denalyn’'s work in the kitchen is a picture of God’'s work in us.

All the transfers, layoffs, breakdowns, breakups, and breakouts. Difficulties. Opportunities. Sifted and stirred and popped into the oven. Heaven knows, we've felt the heat. We've wondered if God's choice of ingredients will result in anything worth serving.

When you wonder, remember this: in a moment before moments, your Maker looked into the future and foresaw the needs and demands of your generation. He instilled, and is instilling, within you everything you need to fulfill his plan in this era. "God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing" (Eph. 2:10 NCV).

If that doesn’'t take the cake, I don't know what does.

Max Lucado