God Moves in Mysterious Ways

Quite a few years ago as a brand-new-very-overwhelmed-worried-single mom in my little Whitney Second ward a high councilor gave a talk. He talked for a good 15 minutes on how parents needed to be heavily involved for their sons to be successful in scouting. It was NOT what I wanted to hear. I had 3 boys. I was barely managing keeping up with my job, the house work and caring for the basic needs of my boys (then ages 8, 4 and1). So adding something that, frankly, scared me to death was not what I thought I needed. I'm pretty sure I was literally trembling with fear by the end of the talk. (to tell you how vivid this memory is in my mind, I could tell you what I was wearing and exactly where I was sitting!)

But Heavenly Father was watching out for me and He had a little tender mercy in the works. The closing song was God Moves in Mysterious Ways (Hymn #285). The 2nd verse spoke to me in such a powerful way:

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

I was moved to tears. I couldn't see then, even a little glimpse, of how it would work out. But I'd had enough experiences to know I could trust that spiritual confirmation. And so I took courage.

What amazes me is that an All Knowing Heavenly Father knew this talk would be given that Sunday and that an overwhelmed daughter would need comfort. So he put the thought into David Beckstead's head to sing that closing song that day. He knew I didn't need to worry. He knew Tom. And He knew the ward we would move into the week before Cache would turn twelve was strong in scouting. And He knew that I would have sufficient experiences that would pave the way for me to assist the boys. But He also knew how paralyzed with fear I would be and knew I needed another reassurance that it was okay to trust Him. And as always, it was. The clouds were so very big with mercy and blessings.

This experience has been a source of strength to me and something I have leaned on when I have had to trust anew and exercise faith in new harder situations. Things always take time. And things don't always work out as we planned, but I have witnessed that those clouds we dread are always big with mercy and as we trust, the blessings can be poured out.