Trusting God with Every Step | A WLI Share Your Story Blog

Written By: Taryn Kuntzman

|

February 4, 2025

Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” It’s a verse that would look perfect on a canvas in the aisle at Hobby Lobby, but if you’ve ever felt stuck between your own dreams and God’s mysterious plan, you know how frustrating this verse can feel. I’ve been in that tension—and I’m here to tell you: even in the desert, there’s a promised land waiting for you. 

From the time I was a little girl, I had BIG dreams. I was a creator, an artist, someone who saw life not in black and white, but in vibrant color. I knew I was created for something more. And that “more” looked like singing on big stages, leading worship for thousands, and eventually becoming a recording artist or part of a well-known worship band. Music was the heartbeat of my soul, and I knew that God had created me to bring Him glory through it. 

In my early years, I poured my heart into music ministry. I sang in many styles and contexts and worked diligently to develop and refine my gifts. When I first started leading worship at Woodside Lake Orion, I was just a teenager auditioning for student ministry. But God quickly opened the door for me to lead on the main stage on Sundays. After high school, I was offered a summer internship, which heavily impacted my decision to stay local and pursue music classes at Oakland University, instead of going away to school like many of my friends. 

As my college years progressed, the internship turned into an interim role when the full-time worship director moved on. I thought I was getting closer to the kind of ministry I had envisioned—something with visible impact and significance. But just when I thought I knew what was next, just when my heart had planned its way, God began to redirect my steps. 

I had been a part of this team for years, I had completed an internship, I had over a year of experience as one of the interim worship leaders, I was in college working towards my degree in music, and the job was open. Surely that job was open for me…right? Well, that’s what I thought until I learned that the position I thought I wanted so desperately was filled. In that moment, I felt the sting of disappointment. It wasn’t about losing the position—it was the fear that maybe I wasn’t enough for what I had dreamed. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for the “big stage” after all. In my typical “tortured artist” fashion, I sulked, had a brief identity crisis, and begged God to reveal my mysterious destiny and to show me what was next. 

In May 2020, I received a call from Pastor Jim at Woodside. He invited me to pray about joining the Woodside Leadership Institute residency program. To be honest, stepping into a residency felt like a step backwards. It wasn’t about holding an impressive title or standing on the stage of the next trendy megachurch—it was about growing behind the scenes. As I prayed, I felt God’s peace and direction. This wasn’t a detour—it was an invitation. 

I had to surrender my expectations. I had a choice: to accept that sometimes God calls us to be faithful in the small things, or to let pride and the desire for recognition hold me back from the story He was writing. The decision wasn’t easy, but I chose to follow His lead.  

At the same time the residency began, God gave me an unexpected gift. With extra time on my hands due to the pandemic, I received the opportunity to obtain my Master’s degree in Worship Arts from California Baptist University. I hadn’t planned for this. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have even considered further education if I had jumped straight into a full-time position, as I thought I should. 

Looking back, I see how crucial that time was. I had experience, gifting, and calling, but I was lacking spiritual formation. I needed that time to learn, reflect, and prepare for what God had ahead. The degree was equipping me with the tools I needed to lead worship with depth and intentionality. Meanwhile, the residency allowed me to practice what I was learning in real time, in a safe space to grow, apply, and even make mistakes. 

God knew that this time of “waiting” wasn’t wasted—it was preparation. He was giving me the chance to plant my roots deeper so I could bear more fruit in the future. 

In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” This verse became a lifeline during my residency. I was learning that the fruit of my ministry wasn’t going to come from my own ambition—it was going to come from abiding in the Spirit and walking in obedience to the next step He had for me. 

One of the hardest things to embrace was that waiting is a vital part of the process. I wanted to rush ahead, make things happen, chase after what I thought was “the next big thing.” But God was teaching me that waiting is not wasted. It’s in the waiting—when we can’t control things—that we learn to trust and rest in Him. 

Looking back, I can see how God used every step—every small thing that felt ordinary or insignificant at the time—to prepare me for the ministry I’m in now. I’m in a full-time worship director role at Woodside, not just any role, but one that’s perfectly suited to who I am and how God wired me. It’s creative and collaborative—everything I had hoped for in ministry, yet it would look very different if I had been given what I thought I wanted before I was ready. His way is always better. 

I’m eternally grateful for the season of residency that not only paved the way to my current role but also gave me a deeper understanding of who I am and who God is. It taught me that waiting isn’t just about what I’m waiting for—it’s about who I’m becoming in the process. In this life, we never truly stop learning these lessons…we’re always waiting for something. I still have dreams—dreams that feel bigger than me. But if I’ve learned nothing else, it’s that God has exceedingly and abundantly more for me than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). 

If you’re reading this and you feel stuck; begging God to move, to speak, to guide, to establish…know this:  He’s not in a rush. He’s not worried about us falling behind or missing the “big break.” He’s concerned with shaping our hearts, building our faith, and leading us step by step, moment by moment, into the fullness of His purpose for our lives. 

So, take the next step. Even if it feels small, even if it feels like a detour or even a step back, trust that God is at work. He has started a work in you, and He will be faithful to complete it.