When Plans Change, Purpose Begins: Meet Author Selena Deshazor

Meet Selena Deshazor. Author of the memoir Not My Plan, But God’s Purpose, which reminds readers that life will not always look the way you planned. There will be losses you never expected, doors that close, relationships that change, careers that take unexpected turns, and moments when you have to ask yourself, “What now?” Selena has lived through some of those moments herself, and rather than allowing them to define her, she chose to transform them into a story of faith, healing, restoration, and purpose.

Please tell us about the meaning of the book title and how it came about.

Selena: When I first chose the title Not My Plan, But God’s Purpose, I understood what it meant on one level, but I don’t think I fully understood its depth until I began writing my story. I had plans for my life, my career, and my future, and then life took me in directions I never expected.

As I began writing, I realized the title was not just about what I had lost or what had gone wrong. It was about surrender. It was about recognizing that my plans are not always God’s plans, and that sometimes what feels like a setback is actually preparation for something greater.

Was there a particular part of the book that challenged you to be more vulnerable than you initially intended?

Selena: Absolutely. There were moments where I had to decide whether I was going to tell the comfortable version of my story or the honest version.

Being vulnerable meant acknowledging the moments when I didn’t have all the answers, when I questioned myself, when I struggled emotionally, and when I had to confront the loss of my identity that came with certain changes in my life.

Those parts were difficult because they were real. But I knew they needed to be included because I didn’t want someone reading my book to think that healing means you never struggle.

I wanted readers to see that faith doesn’t mean you won’t have questions. It means you can have questions and still choose to trust God.

If my story is going to help someone else, then I can’t only tell the polished parts. 

What did writing the book help you understand about why certain chapters of your life had to happen the way they did?

Selena: Writing the book helped me understand that some chapters had to close because God was preparing me for something I couldn’t see yet.

At the time, I wanted answers. I wanted to understand why certain doors closed and why certain things didn’t work out the way I planned. But hindsight gave me a different perspective.

I began to understand that sometimes God will remove you from something before He reveals what He’s taking you into. And sometimes the loss of something familiar is necessary for you to discover something within yourself that you didn’t know existed.

I believe that God can use every experience, even the painful ones, for our growth and purpose.

Writing helped me stop asking, “Why did this happen to me?” and begin asking, “What is God trying to build in me through this?”

At what point did you realize that the story you were writing was no longer simply about what you had lost, but about what was being rebuilt?

Selena: I think that realization came when I stopped looking at myself as someone who had lost everything and started seeing myself as someone God was rebuilding.

There was a point where I realized that my story wasn’t just about the job I lost, the plans that changed, or the seasons that hurt. It was about the woman who was emerging on the other side of those experiences.

God was rebuilding my confidence, my faith, and my sense of identity. Most importantly, He was teaching me that my worth was never dependent on a position, a title, or what I could accomplish.

That was when I understood that restoration sometimes means becoming someone stronger, wiser, and more aligned with God’s purpose.

If someone closes your book and immediately begins reflecting on their own life, what is the one question you hope your memoir inspires them to ask themselves?

Selena: The question I hope they ask themselves is: “What if this isn’t the end of my story?”

I want people to understand that a difficult chapter doesn’t mean the entire story is over.

Maybe they lost a job or experienced a relationship ending. Maybe they experienced grief, disappointment, rejection, or a dream that didn’t happen the way they imagined.

I want them to pause and ask, “What could God be doing in me, through me, or preparing me for in this season?”

Now that the book is officially in the world, what has been the most meaningful reaction?

Selena: One of the most meaningful parts of this journey has been hearing people tell me that something in my story made them feel seen.

When someone says, “I needed this,” or tells me that my story encouraged them during a difficult season, it reminds me that this book is bigger than me.

There was a time when these experiences were deeply personal and painful. Now I’m able to take those same experiences and use them to encourage someone else.

That has been incredibly humbling.

It reminds me that sometimes God allows us to go through something not just for ourselves, but so that our testimony can become someone else’s encouragement.

I wrote this book because I needed to tell my story. But now that it’s in the hands of readers, I realize it can become part of their story too.

What is next for you as an author?

Selena: Not My Plan, But God’s Purpose is definitely not the end for me as an author.

I believe this book opened a door to something much bigger. I want to continue writing, speaking, connecting with people, and creating spaces where people can be honest about their journeys while still holding on to hope.

I am also exploring future writing projects that will continue the conversation around purpose, healing, faith, and rebuilding after life’s unexpected transitions.

My greatest desire is not simply to be known as an author. I want to be known as someone who uses her story to remind people that they are not disqualified because they’ve been through difficult things.

There is still purpose after the pain, still life after loss, and still hope after disappointment. Most importantly, your story is not over.

How can our readers connect with you online? 

Selena: Visit the website www.notmyplanbutgodspurpose.com

Photo Credits:Photo Provided