In the June issue of Success Women’s Magazine, I shared how years ago a fear of failure kept me from realizing my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. Besides feeling like a failure, it landed me in that “in-between” place where I questioned my worth and my abilities.

During the Covid-19 pandemic many people experienced unexpected detours in their professional lives. And for those self-employed women, many had their business dreams impacted. I don’t know what you are going through at this moment, but I do know how it feels when the dreams you’ve been working towards suddenly run aground or force you to let your dream go altogether, moving you into that unfamiliar in-between place. Perhaps you’re currently there now; your dream has been detoured due to health reasons, or a family crisis, or financial set back. But the good news is that God is in control of all our circumstances, and cares about our hopes and dreams. In fact, sometimes God will use a detour for His purposes. And sometimes there is a divine design behind our detours.

Consider the outcomes of biblical women whose dreams also took a detour. For example, Naomi and Ruth. Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law and Ruth took care of her. But their lives took a detour when both of their husbands were killed in combat. Ruth was a young widow. Both women suddenly found themselves in that ‘in between’ place, where it appeared to be for their detriment. In fact, Naomi says, “I left full [with a husband and two sons], but the LORD has brought me back empty,” (see Ruth 1:21). Ruth followed her mother-in-law, Naomi back to her homeland in Bethlehem. Their lives and dreams took a detour but God was with them in their in-between place preparing a new destiny, a new and loving husband for Ruth, named Boaz. And Naomi had a home with Ruth and Boaz.

Esther was an exiled Jewess. I’m fairly certain she wasn’t dreaming of becoming the queen of the Persian empire, but that is exactly what happened. Whatever her dreams were, she had to let them go, for God orchestrated a divine detour in her life for a higher purpose. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus encountered a detour when, during her engagement to Joseph, a child was conceived within her by the Holy Spirit. Now, that’s a detour! What do all these women have in common? Each were taken through uncharted in-between territory. Their faith may have been tested; however, none were abandoned by God because He was in the detour with them. In fact, like these women, our setbacks are really God’s way of setting us up for a new purpose, a new thing, even a new dream.

While we’re in the perplexing in-between place, stay in faith, pray for guidance and protection from taking a wrong turn, and maintain a godly perspective. This in-between place is only for a season. The detour may seem like an obstacle, but in fact, our faith tells us that God is sovereign and He uses whatever detours we encounter to set us up for a new purpose and blessing. Romans 8:28 says, “…God causes all things (including mistakes) to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Be patient in the in-between place and pray (expectantly) despite not knowing what He’s up to. Ask God what He is saying to you, but rest assured, in your trusting, He’ll deposit a fresh passion for a new dream and purpose, which will take you to new levels of joy.

Lastly, when our dreams take a detour consider that God may have chosen you for a special mission.