Perseverance and God’s Plan for You
Have you ever prayed for something you truly wanted, only to discover God had a different plan?
I've learned that perseverance isn't always about pushing harder to achieve what we want. Sometimes, it's about trusting God enough to accept a different outcome.
And sometimes, the most meaningful lessons come from the most unexpected places—even an Osprey's nest in a shopping mall parking lot.
I’m fascinated with birds.
I had the pleasure of witnessing an Osprey nest on a flat light stand in a shopping mall parking lot. Curiously, I questioned why they made a nest in a location with no protection from rain, hail, strong winds and heat.
I learned with their 5 feet wingspan, creating a nest in a tree isn’t practical when flying up to it with food. Plus, their young are prey to Eagles and Owls. They’re able to keep a keen eye on predators approaching their nest in open spaces. To protect their young from downpours and hail, the adults spread their wings around the fledgling while they take the brunt of nature’s force.
Their tenacity intrigued me, more so, after I watched the father teach the fledging to hunt. It circled in the air, dived with wings folded, as it soared like a bullet towards its prey. I’ll never forget the look in its eye—fierce determination. It was amazing! Ospreys typically hunt for fish and will dive at speeds reaching up to 64 mph as they submerge completely underwater, using their strong wings to fly back out of the lake or river.
When I consider the battle with nature and success with teaching their fledgling, I think of our relationship with God. We experience downpours and hail. But like Ospreys protecting it’s young and bearing pain, God has also experienced pain, something you don’t often ponder.
Yet, He perseveres. Despite all He sees—the greed of man and his insatiate need for wealth and power. His heart remains open to forgive, time and time again. His demeanour doesn’t sway with the wind, or the evening tide. He remains still, calm, ever present, waiting for the opportune time to reveal His plan for you.
Since the beginning, God has witnessed man’s intensity for power and destruction, but this particular event stands out.
On September 11th, 2026, we remembered 9/11. The 25th anniversary where innocent lives were lost. A day no one anticipated or believed would happen on U.S. soil. I’m sure many of you remember where you were the moment you heard. For me, I was at home on my lunch break when my spouse called and said one of the World Trade Towers had been struck by a plane. I immediately turned on the news and watched in shock the burning Tower. News of the second Tower created fear, as then we knew this wasn’t an accident but an act of terrorism.
When I returned to work after my lunch break, the air in the office was somber, it was like walking in a mist of disbelief, questioning how this happened. It ripped into the core of everyone’s hearts. And what followed, was another travesty. A 20-year war. When ended, many heart-breaking issues remained unsolved.
Amid the unimaginable tragedy of 9/11, stories of courage, compassion, perseverance, and extraordinary survival emerged. While so many families experienced heartbreaking loss, others shared experiences that strengthened their belief in God's presence, even in the darkest circumstances. One such account is the remarkable testimony of Ganelle Guzman-McMillen.
She worked as an office assistant for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on the 64th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
When the tower was struck at 8:46 a.m., confusion and fear swept through the building. With the elevators inoperable, Ganelle and others began the long descent down the stairwell, hoping to reach safety.
At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower collapsed.
Ganelle was still inside.
Trapped beneath tons of concrete and steel, badly injured and surrounded by darkness, she faced circumstances few of us could begin to imagine. With dust filling the air and her body immobilized, she wondered whether anyone would ever find her.
Yet, she persevered.
In her account of that day, Ganelle describes how, despite not having a strong Christian faith at the time, she began praying. She thought of her daughter and pleaded with God for another chance at life. She promised that if she survived, she would change the way she lived and seek to follow His will.
As the hours passed, her strength began to fade.
Then something extraordinary happened.
According to Ganelle's testimony, as she struggled beneath the rubble, she felt someone reach for her hand.
He told her his name was Paul.
She recalled him offering words of reassurance, encouraging her to remain patient and telling her that help was coming. His presence brought comfort during a time when she was losing hope.
After approximately 27 hours beneath the wreckage, Ganelle was rescued.
But there was something she couldn't explain.
She later searched for the man who had comforted her, yet no one named Paul came forward as the person who had been with her.
Ganelle came to believe that Paul was an angel sent by God to reassure her that she wasn't alone.
It was her personal interpretation of an experience that profoundly changed her life.
What touches my heart about her testimony isn't simply the mystery surrounding Paul. It's the perseverance of a woman who, in the most desperate circumstances, turned to God in prayer.
Her story reminds me that even when we cannot see a way forward, prayer can become our source of strength and hope.
We may never fully understand everything that happened beneath the rubble that day. But for Ganelle, the experience became a turning point in her relationship with God.
And perhaps that's one of the most meaningful lessons we can take from her testimony.
Even in our darkest moments, we can turn our hearts toward God.
When I reflect on Ganelle's extraordinary experience, I'm reminded of the Osprey I watched circling above the water, patiently waiting for the right moment to dive.
The circumstances are vastly different, yet both stories remind me of the importance of perseverance.
Life doesn't always give us the answers we're looking for. Sometimes we're faced with circumstances that test our strength, challenge our faith, and leave us wondering what lies ahead.
But perseverance isn't about knowing how everything will unfold.
It's about finding the courage to continue, even when the outcome is uncertain.
And for those of us who place our faith in God, it's about trusting that we can turn to Him for strength, guidance, and hope through every season of life.
It's often during our most desperate moments that we turn to God with our deepest prayers. While His answers may not come when or how we expect, I've learned that His presence isn't dependent on our circumstances. Even when we cannot understand His timing, we can continue to trust Him. Like the Osprey, circling in preparation of the hunt, its patient, and when the opportune time presents itself, it proceeds with determination, confidence, and victory.
It’s the will to survive.
The will for second chances.
The will to surrender and give God your heart, soul and mind.
It may seem like a big ask; however, when you allow God to be the lead in your life, He guides you on a miraculous journey. Like Ganelle, who asked for a second chance. She wrote a memoir, ‘Angel in the Rubble’, which led to a film adaptation, ‘Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11’s Last Survivor and spoke at a memorial for the 25th anniversary in Palm Harbour.
God works in mysterious ways, answering prayers, while some remain unanswered. We may never understand why, but then again, we don’t see things like He does. He sees beyond your years. How certain paths will lead to change; however, very few are without riding the storm. The storm can leave you angry at God or questioning why life is broken with rough terrain and circumstances you no longer want to bear, or why others seem to have it much easier than you.
However, it’s in how you perceive things unfold. You may foresee things one way, but that way may not align with God’s plan for you. Overall, His process is to prepare you. Like the Ospreys, they protect their young and teach so it can survive on its own. Once the fledgling leaves the nest, the mother begins the migratory trip, leaving the father to teach the fledgling to hunt. When the fledgling succeeds, the father leaves. The fledgling stays alone in the nest for weeks before it begins its migratory journey. It’s alone, but victorious, as the parents succeeded in teaching what it needed to survive.
It’s a perfect example of what God wants for you. To allow Him to teach you. To persevere through the lessons, so you can be victorious and learn all you need to walk the path God has chosen for you. To not be discouraged when things don’t happen the way you want them.
An example, I’ve been seeking alternate employment and was interviewed twice for a position I really wanted. I prayed about it. I asked others to pray for me. After my second interview, I was told they’d get back to me. Three weeks passed and I heard nothing. I sent a text saying I’m still interested in the position, and they responded saying they offered the position to another candidate. Interestingly, I wasn’t upset. Then I glanced at my reminder list in my phone where I read, ‘there is no defeat in the Lord’.
If something you really want doesn’t happen, it’s because it’s not part of God’s plan. I recognized this as the position involved spending a lot of time alone. God knows I love to be around people and kept busy.
I know in my heart, He’s grooming me for something better.
How about you?
Do you believe He has a plan for your life?
Are you willing to trust the process, persevere, knowing He has your best interest at heart?
I’ve learned the best way to receive answers on God’s plan is through prayer, and spending time with Him by asking what He wants me to learn. These moments have been beyond belief, as I write, guided by the Holy Spirit. At times I can’t write fast enough to capture every word He communicates.
I’m forever grateful for the lessons He has taught me. How he’s opened my heart, mind and soul to recognize areas in my life that need healing, more so, molding my heart like fine wine. I still have much to learn. I’m not perfect, nor will I ever be. But what I will be, is a person who loves Jesus, trusts His guidance and know, no matter the storm, I’ll persevere as there is no defeat in the Lord.
To help you on your journey, I created a Prayer Journal, ‘I am Always With you’.
Prayer is a privilege as it’s an invitation to invite the Almighty God and His Son, Jesus, to spend time with you. It’s the foundation to build your relationship and open your heart to a loving God, eager for you to utter words he longs to hear.
This journal is created for you to express your heartfelt emotions, albeit, joy, sadness, anger, as God wants to hear everything.
Spending time alone with Him, has also helped me understand His love for me, His gentle guidance, and reminder to trust in Him and His perfect timing. To lean on Him, as my rock and fortress when I’m troubled, and celebrate His answer to prayers.
Each page invites you to share your thoughts, reflect on scripture, and grow your relationship with the Holy Trinity, God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.
I pray this journal will be a source of joy, renewal, and spiritual growth as you embrace your journey in faith, one day at a time through prayer.
God Bless,
The Prayer Journal is available as a digital download at my ETSY Shop, at Archway Designs by CFC Studios.
Grab a copy today.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your patience, Your guidance, and Your constant presence in my life.
When circumstances become difficult and I struggle to understand the path before me, help me to persevere.
Teach me to trust Your timing rather than my own expectations. Give me the wisdom to recognize the lessons You want me to learn and the courage to follow wherever You lead.
When doors close, help me not to become discouraged. When storms arise, strengthen my faith. And when I grow impatient, remind me that Your love remains constant.
Continue to mould my heart, renew my mind, and prepare me for the journey ahead.
I place my trust in You, Lord.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Hi, I’m Cathy.
A creative professional passionately driven to pointing people away from new age indoctrination to find redemption in Jesus Christ and encouraging others in their walk with the Lord.
I’m a mixed blend, excited to share all I offer...
Blog-Twisted Roots
Do you find yourself asking questions about new age, whether the practices and beliefs are leading your soul to redemption?
As a reformed new ager, I was saturated in the belief I could co-create with the universe and manifest a life of abundance. But I was deceived. This blog is to point you to the truth of the word of God and how He perceives new age indoctrination.
Moreover, it’s written to inspire and encourage Christians in their walk of faith.
Prayer Journals
To help you in your faith journey, I created Prayer Journals, to build a closer bond with Christ Jesus.
As you grow, it’s important to dedicate time to be with God in prayer, a quiet space to meet with Him, and invite Him into your daily thoughts. In doing so, you will experience His peace and presence in every aspect of your life.
Nature and Fine Art Photography
I always dreamed of being a professional photographer when I grew up. It was a journey to reach this goal. When the opportunity presented itself, I knew it was time to fulfill my dream.
I owned a home-based studio for over a decade but have been shooting images for two decades. Now, semi-retired, I have a collection of my most cherished images of landscape or fine art available for wall décor.
