We have come full circle. When our family moved to Houston from Mississippi four years ago, it was the hardest thing any of us had ever done. Never, in a million years, would I have dreamed that our close little family of five would leave the Mississippi Gulf Coast, let alone the blessed Magnolia State itself! But, believing that God was leading us to Texas, we hosted our eldest daughter's dream wedding and the next day we loaded up our belongings and moved to Houston. For months on end we were tempted to believe we had made a mistake. Our youngest daughter, Lia, missed her sisters, grandparents, friends and dance teacher, and she felt very much like a minnow in a big sea at Klein High School. But we stubbornly insisted on trusting God and believed the promise we felt He had given us that, if we were faithful, He would bless Lia's life by revealing Himself to her. Four years later, we can attest to God's loving faithfulness. Not only has Lia grown to love and trust the Lord, but she has grown to love Texas. In fact, our biggest concern for the past few months of her senior year has been that she would choose to attend one of the Lone Star State's fine universities, not one of which is less than a 10-hour drive to our daughters' homes in Mississippi. Yep. First she was devastated about her move to Texas, and now she would be devastated to leave. So, we prayed. And we tried our best not to manipulate or coax her with scholarship offers from Mississippi. But, a couple of months ago, the Lord finally got hold of me and basically said, "Let her go. You can trust Me with her future. I have brought her this far. I've got a plan and it's a good one." And I knew it was true. I have no business thinking I know what is best for any of my daughters. Why, had it been up to me, I would have kept us in our comfort zone in Mississippi and we would have missed out on all the blessings the Lord has showered on us in Spring, Texas. It was a trust issue, and if there's one thing I know, it's that the Lord God is trustworthy. So, I let her go. I mean I truly let her go. I took her to tour Texas university campuses and even helped her ponder whether she would look better in maroon or green. With all sincerity, I asked God to move Lia to whatever university He had in mind, no matter how near or far it might be. And, as I leaned on Him, I began to be perfectly okay with whatever the future might hold. Then, on our way back from a Texas university I was almost certain Lia would end up attending, she made an announcement that stunned us all: "I have decided I was born to be a Bulldog." As in, Mississippi State University! We are thrilled. Our daughters and sons-in-law are thrilled (all but one of them attended and loved MSU). And, best of all, Lia is thrilled. The Lord looks down from heaven; He observes everyone. He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from His dwelling place. He alone crafts their hearts; He considers all their works. (Psalm 33:13-15). GO DAWGS!