That Moment When you Realize that God Had this all Along

I often stress about things and one of the things that causes me the most anxiety is my children. I know I shouldn't do it, and work hard to let go of those concerns and give them to God, but I have spent many a sleepless night being anxious.

And yet, there are those moments of clarity when the very thing I worry about has been turned around and used by the Lord for good in my child's life. 

Stephen graduated last May and spent the spring and summer working first as an intern in a church, and then went on to work in our district's camp for the rest of the summer. He came home after Labor Day and spent 5 months looking for work. It was a hard time for him, and to be honest, me! He was depressed and angry and let's just say there were some rough patches.

I worried that he'd never find anything. There aren't a lot of opportunities around here. He also has generalized anxiety disorder and sometimes that causes difficulties. The other things that I stress about is that he is fairly unconventional in how he thinks, how he dresses and so many areas of his life. I'm embarrassed to say that I thought, "How is he going to get and keep a job?" He's very disorganized and not very driven.

And yet, I forget how good God is and how much He loves my children and how He created each one with their own unique personality. God knew all along what type of job Stephen would thrive in.

Finally, in February, Stephen got a job driving for a social services organization. His job is to transport clients to appointments. Many of his clients have drug-related problems and some of their appointments are visitations with their children. Some are poverty stricken. Some have mental health problems. All have some serious issues.

And Stephen loves it! He is non-threatening to them because he's not driving around in a suit and tie so his style is actually a benefit. He is compassionate and has no problem chatting with them. He is non-judgmental so they don't feel like he is critiquing them. He loves to talk and is friendly so they feel comfortable right away. Because he struggles with anxiety, he understands what some are dealing with.

Because he has to keep accurate records, the skills he needs are coming to him. He is learning to be thorough and organized.  Because he loves variety, the job is perfect. Each day he wakes up and receives a text with a list of clients and runs he has to make. It's constantly changing which is right up his alley.

And the best part is that a full-time position came open and because they needed to fill it immediately, they let him apply for the job even though he hadn't been there 3 months. And he got it! He started yesterday and works from 8-4, Monday through Friday. And it pays $2 more an hour plus his mileage. 

God is good! He knows Stephen intimately and knew the perfect job for him. I feel so thankful this morning. My son is happy, has a full-time job and is feeling like he has a purpose and is being productive.

There was that moment the other day when I realized that God had this all along. And that makes this Mama's heart sing!