Theists: How can predetermined fate and free will coexist?

[robvalue]

And preserve free will? How would that work? It is far from clear that that is even possible.

Well, you're already talking about God making something terrible happen. Instead, he could make something not terrible happen, which achieves the same thing.

Either way, he's screwing with "free will" just as much. He is presumably doing this stuff because other choices people have made have altered his plan and he needs to do something to knock it back on course. Or if there was only one clear plan and no deviation, there is no free will anyway.

He can't seem to decide if he wants to make people have relationships with him by screwing with them, or allowing them to choose and leaving them alone.