When I first held my oldest child, I was overcome by a complex mix of emotions. A new kind of love I’d not yet known engulfed my heart, but so did a tendril of worry, a sprinkling of personal doubt, and an intense instinct to protect. Family and friends tried to tell me about the varied concerns written in the fine print of the job of motherhood, but no one could have prepared me for the multitude of ways I have worried over my children and grandchildren through the years.
In this world that our Heavenly Father has blessed with the law of opposition, natural counterparts of love are worry and fear. But those feelings also have their opposites. Christ has promised, “In me ye might have peace” (John 16:33).
God recently used two events in my life to remind me about a precious eternal truth that always brings peace to my mother-heart—that He is a loving Father who perfectly knows His children.
Watching Over My Son
My son joined the United States Marine Corps right out of high school, and I’m incredibly proud of his service. Earlier this year, he left for an overseas deployment. He was excited about this opportunity, and the Marine Corps had prepared him well. He also sought spiritual preparation by receiving his endowment in the temple the week before he left. I sent my son off knowing he was physically, mentally, and spiritually prepared.
We knew his time away would include weeks on a Naval vessel, jungle warfare exercises, and other undisclosed work during which he would be out of communication range. That first stretch of time when his unit went silent was tough on me. I hated not knowing how he was doing or if he was safe.
I prayed for him and the other service members morning and night, seeking comfort for my worried heart. One evening, as I again asked Heavenly Father to keep my son safe, the Spirit whispered that during those times when I didn’t know where my son was, my Heavenly Father still did. With that realization, a blanket of peace draped over my heart.
I was taught the truth of Doctrine and Covenants 101:16, “All flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.”
Watching Over My Friend
A few weeks after that peaceful prayer, I learned that a friend had left her membership in the Church. I knew she was struggling with challenging family circumstances, and I was concerned for her, worried about the heavy burden she carried, and confused by her course of action.
For several days, I struggled to know how to show my love and support without saying or doing the wrong thing. I prayed for help. Then, I called her.
My friend and I spent an hour laughing, crying, discussing, and listening. She was patient with my questions, and I was relieved by the trust she showed as she opened her heart. When the call ended, that familiar blanket of peace draped again over my heart. The Spirit unmistakably witnessed that though I may not fully understand where my friend is on her spiritual journey, Heavenly Father does. She is still in His hands.
God Knows Where We Are
I had not expected my son’s deployment and my friend’s spiritual struggle to lead me to the same conclusion—we are in God’s hands. He knows where we are.
President Jeffrey R. Holland provides a powerful witness of this truth: “However late you think you are, … or distance from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love.”
What comfort to know that there is nowhere our loved ones can wander beyond His sight and care!
He is a loving Father who perfectly knows His children. He sees us. He is ever aware of us. He loves us. And we can find peace and stillness in knowing that He is there on every twist, turn, and bump of this mortal journey. God will always know exactly where we and our loved ones are because He is, and forever will be, right there beside us.
Find more inspiring messages on motherhood in the links below:
▶ Find hope—not unreachable mom standards—in the mothers of the stripling soldiers
▶ This important line from general conference might help you worry less about your adult children
▶ Wondering how to help loved ones see the wonder and majesty of the gospel? Start here
▶ Pres. Nelson encouraged us to study this scripture chapter. Here’s a simple guide
