How Jesus Gave Me Rest by Giving Me Purpose

I heard Deion Sanders say that one of his sons kept him close to God by keeping him on his knees.

And that is exactly where my story begins: in the dark on my knees, praying for my son.

Let me explain.

In August of 2023, my son started kindergarten, and it turns out he was not built for a classroom setting.

He likes to be constantly moving, and, in his words, he can feel like a race car.

I had no clue how his adverse reaction to a classroom would put me on the path to my purpose.

Within a week of starting school, we would get note after note after note.

He was not listening. He was not focusing. He was growling like a gorilla all day.

Yes, that is an actual note we received from his teacher.

I was perplexed. We were doing all we could to support him in the classroom as well as trying to collaborate with the teacher and the school.

Nothing was working.

I was desperate. I could not strategically plan my way out of the situation.

It wore me down to the studs.

I would go on walks and cry.

I would talk to myself and cry.

And one day on one of my desperation walks, it turned into a talk with God.

I pleaded for answers and for a way to get us out of this.

The pleading turned into praising. In the days following, I found myself reading devotionals and my bible again.

I suddenly realized after years of success, promotion after promotion, blessing after blessing I had subconsciously fooled myself into thinking that I designed my life.

I had decided there was no need for constant connection with Jesus. He would be all right with me checking in every now and again.

After all, He knew my heart. At least I was right about the latter.

He absolutely knew my heart. He put me in an impossible situation where my hands were tied and so were my feet.

There was nothing I could do. God used my son to bring me back to Him and to show me that He was in control.

My son’s experience at school would gradually get better and I was transformed.

I had struggled with routine and consistency my entire adulthood and as a parent. My son was depending on me to create both for him.

Before I knew it, I was waking up at 4:00am, spending time with God, making hot breakfast for my kiddos, and getting to the bus stop 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

I was even checking the weather app to make sure we were appropriately dressed for the day. Who had I become?!

God had Mr. Miyagied me! (If you need a quick reference, Mr. Miyagi had a student named Daniel-son. Daniel-son wanted to learn how to fight. Mr. Miyagi had him wax his cars instead. Frustrated, Daniel-son lashed out, that’s when Mr. Miyagi showed him that he was not just waxing cars, he was learning to fight.)

That is what happened to me. I thought I was fixing my son, and the entire time God was fixing me.

He changed me.

I imagine that my obedience and consistency signaled to Him that it was time for me to walk into my purpose.

When summer came, my family was ready for relaxation and our annual trip to Aruba, where my mother is from.

Because it had been such a trying school year, I longed for the entire trip to be about rest. I found two devotionals on the topic that I meditated on while I was there.

One fateful day, I flipped to a blank page of my journal, clicked my pen, opened up my bible app and began to read what I thought was going to teach me about how to relax in Christ.

The author of the devotional posed a simple question.

Is there something you are supposed to do that you haven’t done?

My spirit quickly answered, “write a book.”

I quickly retorted aloud, “I have never done that.”

A still small voice spoke to me, “you have never done the job you are doing now, but you are doing it.”

I was in shock. The voice was so clear. You would not imagine how many times I asked God if I was supposed to write a book and silence was His response.

This time, His voice vibrated loudly in my ears.

On the ten-minute ride to my family’s hometown of San Nicolas, I had the premise of the book, the main characters, and the outline.

That is how God works. He gives you the call and He also gives you the resources.

I had no clue how the rest of the year would unfold. Let’s just say I am glad I answered.

Upon our return home from Aruba, I began to conduct my research.

I scheduled calls with my family and friends to conduct interviews.

They added more depth and more vibrancy to the story and through each conversation I gained healing and understanding.

I do not think there was one interview that didn’t leave me in tears. Happy tears of course.

I was in awe of Jesus. Here I am thinking that I am just drafting a book and the entire time He was rearranging my life, again.

Providing light to the places I thought were broken.

I began writing my manuscript in January of 2025 and I planned to complete my first draft within six months.

Well, like many others in our country my role was placed on hold.

I found myself with more flexibility and more time and I knew exactly who did that. Jesus.

The downtime may have caused anxiety for others, but I knew I was on a mission and that His timing was on purpose.

I completed the first draft in six weeks. I spent February through May revising and allowing a trusted few to read the story. He had more plans.

In May of 2025, my son was diagnosed with combined ADHD and my daughter received a recommendation for special needs services because of a developmental delay.

I felt like I was in the eye of the storm. On June 4th, I asked God to show me what was next.

The following day, June 5th at 10:00am to be exact, on a Zoom call, I got my next steps from the Lord.

I was laid off.

Within a few weeks I found myself back in Aruba. I returned to the place where I got the call to write.

There are times in life where you feel that God may be withholding your purpose from you.

He may just be waiting for you to change for it to be revealed.

And once it is shown to you no matter where you are at, on vacation with your family, pleading on bended knees, or at the lowest point in your life, He will give you all you need to succeed.

Including rest.

At this time today, I cannot tell you how this is going to end.

My spirit and my soul have remained at peace while the world around me seems to be blowing apart.

I am calm because I know the journey that started in 2023 has transformed me.

I am resting safely in His arms. Jesus has given me a purpose which is allowing me to be in perfect peace in His presence.

Related Reading: