EquipHer Vol. 32: "When Your Plans Are Not What You Planned…"Sample

Day 1 — What is Your Willingness?

There are seasons when everything seems easy and fluid - your plans, directions, and goals are clear and defined. You study and work hard, and every day is a step closer to achieving your plan. Suddenly, you feel a shift and are aware of how God is beginning to move you in a different direction - a direction you did not plan for.

What do you do?

In March 2023, Carrie Pasch, Co-Founder of EquipHer, and her husband were in Florence, Italy, completing the renovation process of their new home. They were making last-minute touches to the furniture and decor in preparation for the property to be listed on online rental platforms, but quickly realized an essential detail was missing: a property manager. Living between America and Italy meant they needed a local person to manage the home while they weren’t there. They needed someone to welcome guests, coordinate cleanings, and oversee the daily operations of the property.

While Carrie and her husband were at their home trying to navigate the next steps, there was a young Italian woman named Elisa living in Florence. Elisa was attending University, finishing up her law degree, and had a clear plan: finish her internship, pass the law exam, and pursue her career as a lawyer. A solid, secure, and overall good plan!

However, what she did not account for was God’s plan for her career.

Within a few days of Carrie and her husband completing all the work at their home, they found themselves enjoying a cup of coffee with another local couple that they were introduced to by a mutual friend - Lorenzo and Elisa.

The conversation among the four of them was easy, fluid, and enjoyable. Elisa shared her plans of pursuing a career in law, while Carrie described the recent home renovation project, as well as the role and responsibilities they were currently seeking in a property manager. Suddenly, during the middle of the conversation, Elisa felt prompted to say one short but very powerful word. She said, “Yes. I will do it. I will help manage your property until you find someone.”

That casual meet-up in Florence was more than a coffee date between two couples; it was a divine appointment. A divine appointment where God provided a new opportunity for Elisa, and her obedient “yes,” opened the door to something she could have never imagined for herself.

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (NKJV). This verse does not tell us to stop planning—it invites us to make room for God’s direction despite our own projects and plans.

Fast forward a few months later, Carrie learned an interesting detail of her new friend's story. Elisa had shared that her true dream was not to work in a law firm, but to build something of her own. She had always felt an entrepreneurial spirit inside—a desire to create, lead, and grow—but at the same time, it was something that seemed impossible, unachievable, and daunting.

However, that day in the cafe, God awakened a passion dwelling inside of Elisa. A passion that He had already deposited inside her heart, but one that she wasn’t aware of, not until she spoke that three-lettered word: “Yes.”

That is how partnering with God works: you bring your willingness, and He brings the direction. When you surrender and trust His plans, God does not erase the dreams He placed in you—He simply leads you on the path that will fulfill them. (See Psalm 37:4)

Maybe that is what God wants to remind you of today: partnering with Him means trusting Him even when you cannot see where He is leading. It means obeying before understanding, saying yes even when the picture is not yet clear.

When the moment comes for you to say “yes” to God, that “yes” will not come from certainty—it will come from obedience.

God is not asking you to understand everything. He is asking you to be available, open, and willing. Every opportunity, every encounter, every open door might be the answer to a prayer you once prayed. Perhaps you do not need a new direction—you just need to say “yes” to the one He is already showing you.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to partner with You in every area of my life. Sometimes my plans seem perfect, but You remind me that “Your thoughts are not my thoughts, nor are Your ways my ways.” (Isaiah 55:8–9, NKJV) Today I choose to trust Your guidance more than my own certainty. Help me recognize the divine appointments You have prepared along my path and give me the courage to say yes even when I do not understand everything. May every decision I make become an act of obedience to You. Amen.