Austin is heading home

In November my brother Austin texted me randomly to ask if I would be willing to let him come live with us. I immediately called to see if he was being serious! After a month of planning he decided to come and I was so excited! He drove up with my family for Christmas and after my family left he moved into the guest room. 

While he has been here I have prayed a lot to know how to serve him. I wanted to make sure what ever Heavenly Father had planned for him I was able to help with! I knew that the idea of him moving here wasn’t random or a coincidence, it was part of Heavenly Father’s plan. I just needed to see what it was. 

One night last week as I was making dinner I was thinking how I felt sad I didn’t make the most of having Austin here. I wanted more for his stay. Then a quiet voice whispered in my heart “Lauren, I didn’t send Austin to live with you so you could change his life. I sent him to help you and bless you while you live in Washington.” The simple words hit me like a ton of bricks. I began to cry as I thought of how hard this gray winter was but how much easier it had been because I had Austin with me. I thought about how I was struggling as a mother before he came and how he blessed my life and made things so much easier. I thought about the friendship we had created and all the fun we had. I thought about how much we had grown together. 

Austin is going back California tomorrow and I’m really sad this blessing is coming to an end. I know more blessings will come but having Austin here for the last few months has been so important to me. Heavenly Father is so so good. He truly does have a plan and as I do my best to follow it I see the blessings pour down. Things are still hard but I look back and see so much good and happiness.