“That was before my company cut out our bonuses,” Troy reminded her.

Grace tried to stuff her deep disappointment. These days it seemed like tight finances were butting into every area of life.

Two weeks later, as Grace watched her son and daughter playing behind the mountain cabin that a couple from church allowed them to use free of charge, gratitude filled her. Sure the kids had been upset about the change of plans, but it dissolved as soon as they saw the fishing boat and the tree house. They enjoyed nature walks and other forms of simple fun that no theme park could have touched. Thank You, Lord, for preventing us from taking that expensive trip. We would have missed this!

In our uncertain economy cutting corners has become commonplace. Sometimes it’s fun to compare the deals we get on kids’ clothes, household items, and groceries. But what about those days when the numbers in the checking account scream for a major change of plans?

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that while we make plans, the Lord determines our steps. We can apply this to finances too, trusting that God has His own plans. Often they are far better than any that we could devise. But even if He doesn’t replace a theme park with a peaceful mountain cabin, we know in our hearts that He gives us what we need and holds back what we don’t.