Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, 

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-Jeremiah 29:11

I start this blog with a verse. One that hopefully inspires and gives you hope. Let go and let God.


New city, new people, new school. Three, supposedly good things come in threes. This is what I thought to myself as I walked the crowded flight of stairs up to the third floor and found myself in front of classroom 333.

This is a joke right?

But there was no mistaking the simple white paper sign, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Student Orientation, room 333. I scratched the back of my head and raised an eyebrow, skeptical and puzzled.

Is someone out there reading my thoughts? Three, is this some cosmic sign from the universe telling me that this is meant to be? Hello, God?

I walked into the classroom to notice the three rows of tables and three chairs per table. Okay there is definitely a pattern going on here, is this too good to be true?  I had to double check.

"Hi, is this OTA orientation?" I asked the room full of women hoping one of them would answer.

"Yes, you must be Dan!" I turned to notice the cheerful inviting smile of my professor, one of three as I shortly discovered.

"Ok good," I replied, "but how did you know who I was?"

She handed me a syllabus and a blank sticker for my name and said, "Well, I've already met the three other guys in this class."

All of this felt so familiar, it reminded me of that movie, 23. Funny how one can suddenly turn superstitious, I didn't even believe in luck. Someone once told me that there are only blessings instead of luck. Because luck doesn't give credit where credit is due, to God. Regardless, I was looking for a sign that I made the right decision and so far I was feeling lucky, and blessed!

Several months ago I didn't know what Occupational Therapy was. I didn't even know that the program existed were it not for a co-worker whom I worked mornings with in a little coffee cafe. She happened to be in the program and encouraged me to apply. I sent my application on a whim, thinking it wouldn't hurt. A month later I received a letter that I was accepted as an alternate. Wow, barely accepted! Luckily or by blessing?    

Now here I was at orientation, an alternate, walking around exploring the classroom/therapy lab when I noticed tucked away in the farthest wall, an old wooden plaque. Inconspicuous, the words carved on the surface of the wood read, "For I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future; ~Jeremiah 29:11."

How fitting, I thought to myself, and almost poetic that the plaque was so plain. I almost overlooked it. I shuddered as a chill ran up my spine. It was then that everything dawned on me. How I spent 3 years taking classes for nursing, then dropping out. How I got hired at an inconspicuous coffee shop and a co-worker was an OTA student. How I overlooked that the OTA program even existed at school. How I didn't notice until now that God was leading me all this time. God meant for me to be here! And here I was standing in the corner of the room looking at this obscure sign, reminding me with that verse, Jeremiah 29:11.

Its a sign, literally!!

All those signals with the number 3 had to be a good thing! Yeah, definitely a blessing.

Looking back, as a graduate now, I can think of so many moments when the program just seemed too tough or that I dug myself into too much of a hole to pass the class. But I always remembered to look towards the farthest corner of the classroom to the obscure wooden plaque to find inspiration. Its words encouraging me even now, that God has plans to prosper and not harm; plans to give hope and a future.

Let go and let God.