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Gale and I decided it is time to do a little rearranging in our house to use the space we have more efficiently. A build on would be nice but that is totally out of the question, so we are trying to work with what we have. One of the additions we decided on is a free standing pantry so we can better organize canned goods and other things for the kitchen. We made a trip to a large home improvement store to look around to see what was available. After looking at a few in-stock units, we entered into conversation with a salesperson and described what we would like. He looked through a few books, showed us some examples, and was very helpful. Then it was time for the quote! I had a dollar amount in mind, but as you might guess, with material and labor costs, the bottom line for a beautiful custom made unit was off the chart in my book, so we ditched that idea.

We then moved on to our next option—ready-made and ready-to-finish units. We were able to find a piece that would meet our needs at about an eighth of the cost of the custom made one. Granted, the quality is probably ten times less than the high dollar one, but we have always tried to live within our means so we made the purchase, loaded it up, and headed home. Since we did not have time to do the finish work on it right away, we stored it in the shed until we can stain and seal it.

One evening Gale and I went out to the shed to get something—and that’s when it happened! Our new unfinished cupboard was standing tall and straight about four feet away from the shed door. Neither of us know exactly what got the process into motion, but as I went behind it to move some things two sheets of plywood hit the back of the pantry—which is a bit top-heavy. It in turn toppled over moving dead center toward the door. The cabinet is two feet wide and the shed door is four feet wide; it was headed right toward the door at what appeared to be an absolute disaster in the making. It was one of those moments that was moving so quickly that neither of us could do anything to change the course of events, yet it all seemed in slow motion as we watched a heart breaking moment unfolding before our eyes.

Life is full of tough moments. Some of them are significant and life changing while others are little more than inconveniences, but at the time they are always painful and heart-wrenching. However, a good thing, albeit difficult at the time, is to remember that many adversities have a better outcome than seems possible at the moment. As Gale and I watched our brand new and never used cabinet heading to the ground (and I think that even in that split second I was already trying to figure out how I could repair it), an unexpected but welcomed event saved the day. Just as it reached the opened doorway to destruction, the new pantry was just tall enough so it could not pass through and propped safely there with no damage.

To learn that something has occurred or is about to that will forever impact your life can seem as though you have been knocked off your feet. Perhaps you have already been there—or maybe you are there right now. May I remind you that you can take comfort, because there is hope through trusting in God. His word to you is the same as it was to those to whom these words of Christ were originally spoken: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me” (John 14:1, New International Version). Because of His love for you, He provides hope that assures you that you can stop being troubled and set your heart at ease. Things just might turn out better than you expect in the last moments when disaster appears to be imminent!