"So, what are your plans for next year?" Each May, this question, or some version of it, has been spoken to uncounted young people all across the country.  Graduation season always brings out a celebration of the present as well as a renewed focus on the future.  This is a time for making plans and decisions that can have a huge impact on graduates, their families, and our community.

     In the midst of these difficult questions about the future, God's Word provides a beacon of clarity.  Solomon writes, "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." (Proverbs 16:3 ESV)/ He goes on to say, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9 ESV). In other words, God Himself makes the best plans, no matter which way the plans lead.  In the absence of certainty about the future, God reminds us that we can accomplish God's Plan for us regardless of where our plans take us,

     The Apostle Paul knew this very well.  He knew how the power of God could radically change his plans, and he knew how God could lovingly guide his plans.  Paul never stopped making plans, but he always knew that God established his steps.  In our text for this week, Romans 15:14-33, we'll hear how Paul describes his own relationship with his plans, and we'll be encouraged to Live By Faith as we make our plans today.