Things don’t always go the way we plan, but if we look to see what does, we will find the silver lining of every seemingly stormy cloud or situation. Today was a perfect example of that for me.
Even though I knew it was 5th Sunday and there is traditionally no Children’s Ministry, I remembered seeing a post that there would be. With a bit of hesitation, I got my boys ready to attend church when they asked. Now, let me remind you that I have three amazing children under 11, each with their own invisible special needs – Autism level 1 and 2, severe ADHD, and ODD.
As expected, there was no Children’s Church when we arrived. I took it in stride, until I couldn’t anymore. But then something beautiful happened. My sister and brother, along with my nephew, sat in my row, and another brother-in-Christ bookended me in.
In the midst of it all, my daughter Ella needed to stretch her legs, so we walked the church grounds while I listened to the message via the stream. And that’s when it happened. I heard a portion of the message that spoke directly to my heart. It reminded me that to be excellent means to be kind and think beyond our own wants at times.
An incident during Communion brought this message home even more. My son Ty wanted to talk to me, and I tried to shush him. But he looked at me and said, “Mom, you’re not even mad. But I am getting mad. I chose to call you Heart because I love you. I just wanted to tell you, I love you.”
Talk about a heart and gut check from my own 7-year-old baby.
In short, I needed to be in church today. It may not have happened the way I thought it would, but it went exactly the way it needed to for me to be blessed and empowered for the week ahead. Sometimes, life throws us unexpected curveballs, but if we keep our hearts open and our spirits aligned, we will always find the encouragement and spiritual growth we need.
So, my friends, let’s remember to embrace the unexpected, pivot when necessary, and trust that there is always a greater plan at work. Have a blessed and empowering week ahead! 
© 2023, Lela Jefferson Fagan. All rights reserved.
