Sometimes I look at my life and wonder how I ended up here, and I know the answer is the hand of God brought me to the place I'm in, but sometimes I fail to marvel at that fact. So I shall marvel here before you friends.
I shouldn't have been born. I wasn't in my mother's life plan she was going to be a nun and sisters of that kind do not have babies. Before she took her vows she wanted to see the world and study in the States (that's America, she's from Trinidad). God wanted me though so low and behold she fell for this guy and got married and she became with child (that's me).
When I was born I shouldn't have survived. I was a premature and I wasn't developing well in the womb to start with so I had some issues but God wanted me so I survived and made my baby body stronger.
I almost grew up in another country, when I was still a little baby my Mom sent me to live with her family in Trinidad, they were going to raise me while she decided it she was moving back... she left my biological father sometime shortly after I was born, I never met him. But God wanted me here in the states so he made her worry about me like crazy and miss me but he called her to stay in the States so I came back.
I shouldn't have had an amazing childhood with a huge and loving family around. It was almost just my mom and me no family because hers is still in Trinidad. But God wanted me to experience that, so my mom met my dad (who is technically my adopted dad but I didn't know until I was 17 but I'll get to that later) and my dad loved me like his own and his family love me as their own.
I still shouldn't have had that though because they got divorced when I was 5. They had every right to not treat me like there own any more. But God had his way and they kept me in fact they took me and raised me, never made me feel like I was anything but a Polite. I was theirs and I still am and they are mine because God gave us to each other.
I should not live in Arizona. It's hot and I'm allergic to the sun and I love water and there is none but God brought me here. The same year I left South Carolina to live with my dad, he got a job in Phoenix so I moved twice that year.
I should not have stayed in Arizona. It's hot and I'm allergic to the sun and I love water and there is none plus I had a dream to attend to. But we've already established that God brought me here. In high school I ran into and fell in Love with Jesus, and Young Life helped me get there. God said stay after I graduated though I had options, I obeyed his word and I stayed.
In my own plan I would not have made it through 3 stretching, growing and learning years on Young Life Student Staff being surrounded by some of the most amazing people. I would not have been forced to face my ethnic background because of Latino Student Staff and I would not have accepted it and embraced it. I wouldn't have met tons of kids who tried my patience but made me love them anyway. I would not have fallen in love with the ministry and I would not encountered God every step of the way.
I should have quit while I was ahead. But God had a plan and this last year has been tough but in everything I have learned so much about God and myself. I think I'm ready for the unknown. I think I'm ready to walk I wasn't at the end of last year, I wanted it but I wasn't ready. That was in God's plan too though it was God's hand that brought me here.
That's how I got here God planned it all along.
PS this is a prelude to my next blog post... stay tuned and while you wait listen to Ingrid
