My son’s life comprised college, work and little else, so I began praying that God would give him a wife. Falling in love would strengthen his incentive to do well, I reasoned. A girlfriend would help him with his studies, and when he graduated, they could marry.

I didn’t expect God to answer so soon. Two months after I started praying, my son sat me down for a serious talk. He had met a girl that he liked, but wasn’t sure about pursuing a relationship because of “the baby.” I summoned up all the wisdom I could muster and advised him not to penalize the woman because she had a child. If he liked her, he should get to know her before he made judgments about her and her baby. To make a long story short, he proposed on Valentine’s Day and they married the following December.

Once again, I summoned up all the wisdom I could muster and proposed several things for my son to consider. “Wait until you finish college,” I urged, “you can both save money for two years and then get married.”

Why did I think he would listen?

My son and his wife searched for a house. “God, please give them wisdom and direction,” I prayed. My son applied for a better position at work. They turned him down. Undaunted, he continued looking for a house. I prayed more. He found a house. I prayed for God’s will. The mortgage company approved the loan. How could they approve that much money to someone who makes a third of his father’s salary? I prayed daily for God to help my son financially.

My husband and I helped my son move into his new house. The following Monday, a district manager at his place of employment fired him for a minor offense that deserved little more than a reprimand. The local manager, disgusted with the district manager’s decision, argued to no avail that my son was one of the best employees they had ever had. My son waited a week to tell me what had happened. He didn’t want me to worry. Too late! I started worrying before he married.

At times like this, we wonder why. Why did I pray for financial help and the opposite happen? Why did the loan go through? Why didn’t he get fired before he signed the paperwork for the house? Why didn’t he meet his wife after he finished college? Why, God why?

My younger son offered a measure of relief. “Mom,” he said. “Maybe he lost his job so God could give him a better one.” Wisdom from the mouth of babes! That is exactly what happened. In less than a month, he found another job, doing the same type of work with a substantial increase in pay.

While God clearly answered the petitions on behalf of my son nothing happened the way I thought it should. Certainly not the way I wanted it to. The experience taught me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. While my sons decisions made life difficult for a season, a decade later, and two more children later, he is still living in the house he purchased and doing fine.