Sometimes the Answer is "No"

Answers to prayers are sometimes no. We may never know why Heavenly Father says no, but sometimes we get a glimpse.

When Danny and I were raising our children, we talked about how wonderful it would be to raise them in a small town where life would be a little simpler, and hopefully they would have fewer temptations. Danny began applying for all Caltrans landscaping and maintenance jobs that became available in small towns. There was one particular interview that was quite promising. The kids and I took a road trip with Danny to this interview. We dropped him off at the interview and we checked out the little town. When we picked him up later, I quizzed him about the questions that were asked, and the answers that he gave. The more he told me about this interview, the more excited we both became. He gave the perfect interview. We just knew he had the job. In fact, I was so sure that he had aced that interview that I came home and cleaned my oven for the move -- which admittedly is something I never do!

In the end, he didn't get the job. Danny's score was within .01% of another applicant's score. Ultimately, it was the foreman's call, and he chose the applicant with whom he could commute.

We were devastated. It had seemed like this job was the answer to prayers. We couldn't figure out why this had not gone the way we wanted and expected it to go.

Two years later, there was a devastating earthquake in that little town, Coalinga, California. The neighborhood where we would have lived was completely leveled to the ground.

Sometimes, it is best not to question Heavenly Father's reasons. Sometimes it is best to just trust that he knows what is best for us.