If it wasn’t answered, I promise you that it is because our Heavenly Father knows all. He knows all of the promises made in Heaven and is creating the way to fulfill them for you. One day, if you are able to look back and see with clear eyesight, you will be thankful for those prayers that God didn’t answer. Because He had a bigger blessing in store that you cannot even begin to imagine how wonderful it is.

Maybe your prayer hasn’t been answered yet. He might still be preparing the way. Don’t lose faith. Pray for peace. He will grant it to you. Find a way to hear Him.

Several years ago, I had so many things going on with my children that I am not sure how I was able to function on a day-to-day basis. At this time, I was also fostering a teenager with all of those challenges. We had so many appointments, my little one was not meeting her milestones, my first daughter was having some big struggles, and I was not awake enough to be the parent that I wanted to be.

I was praying for help. I had no idea what this help would look like. But I was praying with my whole heart. My little one was waking up and crying most of the night. Looking back now, it was most likely from her seizures, and we just didn’t know. I was driving for two hours to pick kids up from different schools and then doing homework with them, trying to get dinner done, do my church callings, and so much more I won’t share for privacy of my children.

Not long after, those prayers were answered in the way of a personal care attendant for my little one and ABA therapy for another child. Now, this might not sound like an answered prayer to some people. But I knew they were my answers. It led to less privacy which can be uncomfortable, but it also led to so much grace being given to me from these women that God sent to help me. It led to amazing friendships that are so dear to me. I’m so grateful for this unexpected and unusual answer to my prayer.

Another time that I prayed for a righteous desire of my heart but was not given what I desired happened when we tried to do a second round of IVF. I knew that it was time to try again. I had such faith that I was doing what He wanted me to do. I felt like I knew and understood how He spoke to me.

I was so confused when we didn’t get pregnant from that IVF procedure. It shook my testimony of how I understood the spirit when it spoke to me. I began to second guess all of my answers I had received. Even the answer I received to marry my husband.

That is what Satan wanted me to do. He saw an opportunity to drive me away from Heavenly Father and he threw everything he had into me.

I’m so grateful that Heavenly Father saw his intent and he also threw everything He had into me that weekend. I will never forget it. “The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (D&C 18:10)

Because He knew of my promise to my children, He helped to show me a more beautiful righteous desire to pray for instead. A special promise that I had made to them in Heaven. I’m so grateful that I was able to move forward through my grief, anger, resentment, confusion and distrust to get to this special blessing that they are to me now.

I now understand that He did need me to do that second round of IVF. Because if I hadn’t, I would have never gotten on the path that led me to foster care. I never would have even thought about it. I needed to have that great heartbreak. I needed to have that very real struggle of figuring out how to trust in Him to be able to find my children in this earthly life.

I’m so glad for these struggles. I am never glad for them while they are happening. But once I can see them with clear eyes, and trace all of the pieces back together, I am so grateful for that struggle. It brought me closer to Him.