Have you ever planned for something—and then everything changed at the last minute? Just when we think we’re in complete control of our lives, something unexpected shifts our plans. Imagine what this bride must have felt when her most important day was not what she expected.
Share the following article with your students. You can read it aloud and show pictures or send students the link to read on their phones.
This Couple Switched Wedding Venues At The Last Minute & It Was Magical
When you’re done sharing the article, discuss the following questions:
- What was something you admired about this couple’s approach to the situation? (They knew getting married was about more than the venue. They accepted the unpredictability of viruses. They adjusted their plans to accommodate the crisis.)
- Have you ever freaked out when your carefully laid plans were changed at the last minute? Share what happened with a partner next to you. (Students responses will vary.)
- How much of our lives do we have complete control over? What are some of the things that we can’t control at all? Should we try to exert control over anything? (Students might acknowledge that our physical genetics, parents, birthplace, environmental factors, and so forth are completely out of our hands, yet disciplined planning and stewardship in other areas are still required of us.)
- Control gives us the illusion of power. Why is it hard for people to acknowledge God’s authority in the universe? (Human beings are very self-absorbed; they see only the small boundaries of their little universe—not the eternal plan that God has set in motion.)
The holiday season brings the story of Jesus’ mother Mary into our conversations about the nativity. But today’s lesson lets us examine how Mary must have felt when all the things she had planned for were suddenly changed—and how it turned out to be better.
