No Map. No GPS. Just… Go?
by Tiffany Henning, Founder of Somethings Gotta Change
After my last article called “The Thing God is Asking Me To Do Scare Me”, several people reached out to share where they feel God may be nudging them. And there was a common theme in their responses:
“I don’t have all the answers or know what it looks like. I just feel God calling me to __________.”
I get that. Really, I do.
Because once I finally say yes to God, I want to hit the ground running. As a perpetual pessimist but an eternal strategist, I’ll have plans A–F mapped out, with contingencies in place “just in case.”
I want to know where I’m going, how I’ll get there, what it will look like when I arrive, who I’ll find when I get there, and, of course, what snack I’ll eat once I’m there.
Is that too much to ask?
Apparently, yes.
No map. No GPS. Just… go?
I want my story to look like the story in Genesis of Abraham’s servant going out to find a wife for Isaac. The servant prayed for a very specific sign to help him recognize the woman God had chosen, and before he had even finished speaking, Rebekah showed up. Everything unfolded just as he had prayed.
And BAM—it all happened exactly like that. No muss, no fuss.
Now THAT is my kind of assignment!
Instead, I feel like my story is more like Abraham’s, where God said:
“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”
Wait. What?
No map. No GPS. No handwritten directions. No itinerary. Just… “Go.”
And Abraham went.
Really, dude?!
Yeah, I think I’m definitely more like Moses, arguing with God at the burning bush and coming up with every reason why I’m not the right person for the job. You know, the whole “but, but, but…” routine.
I mean, could we at least have a planning meeting first?
But God had a different plan
This past week, my church’s worship band played a song I hadn’t heard before called “I Was, But God.” And, yet again, it hit me right between the eyes with these lyrics:
“I was, but God
But God had a different plan”
If you haven’t heard it, you can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ok8gF9Qrg0
I think I’ve had at least five false starts over the last few years. Times when I thought I knew what I was supposed to be doing, started making plans, and then felt God redirecting me.
And each time, I felt Him telling me to “Be Still.”
I even got those words tattooed on my wrist so I wouldn’t forget.
And yet, somehow, I still kept running ahead of God.
Apparently, having a permanent reminder on my wrist doesn't automatically mean I've mastered the lesson.
So, what does this have to do with the Pastor Wellness Movement?
Well, here’s where I find myself right now.
I believe God has called me to launch the Pastor Wellness Movement, a three-year national initiative beginning in 2027 to help change the way we care for pastors and those serving in ministry.
The vision is big. We want to connect pastors to trusted support, bring organizations doing this work together, and help build a healthier, more sustainable future for ministry.
And as I honeslty shared before, it feels a whole lot bigger than me.
I can see parts of the vision. I know some of the next steps. But there are still pieces of the plan that are little more than a skeleton outline.
And if you know me, you know that is NOT how I prefer to operate.
I like plans. I like details. I like knowing what's coming next.
But what if God is intentionally leaving some of the details unfinished?
What if He is teaching me to depend on Him rather than on my ability to figure everything out?
What if He is asking me to hold the plans loosely enough that I can recognize the people, opportunities, and connections He brings along the way?
I'm beginning to think that's exactly what He's doing.
In fact, two of those connections happened just this past week, and I am still completely blown away by what He can do when I finally get out of the way. (You know who you are!)
And it reminded me of something important:
The Pastor Wellness Movement isn't something I'm meant to build in my own strength.
I have a part to play. There are steps I need to take, relationships I need to build, and work that needs to get done. But I don't have to make every connection, solve every problem, or know every detail before I begin.
I need to be faithful with what He's putting in front of me and trust Him with the rest.
And maybe that's part of the point.
Maybe God isn't just asking me to help transform the way we care for pastors. Maybe He's also using this process to transform the way I lead, trust, and depend on Him.
Turns out, the person He wants to change along the way might be me.
So, I wait.
I wait knowing things probably won't look the way I expect them to.
I wait knowing things will happen in His timing, not mine (probably at the 11th hour, because apparently I need the practice).
I wait knowing I need to keep my hands open and my heart turned toward Him, trusting that, just as He did with Abraham and Moses, God will do what He has promised to do.
“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24)
And in the meantime?
I take the next step. I make the next connection. I plant the next seed. I try not to run six steps ahead of where God is leading me.
So, let's take this baby out for a spin and see what God will do in and through all of us.
We may not have all the answers. We may not have the whole plan. We may not even know exactly where this is going.
But we know the One who does.
And for those of us who like to have plans A–F figured out before taking the first step, I guess we're going to get some practice trusting Him along the way.
Now I'm curious:
Are you someone who needs to see the whole roadmap before you're comfortable taking the first step, or are you better at embracing the unknown?
I'd love to hear which camp you're in. Because I have a feeling I'm not the only one God is teaching to loosen their grip on the plan.
P.S. You can learn more about the vision for No Pastor Alone here.