By Phillip Grothus
There are times when we make plans and everything falls perfectly into place. Other times, we forget to plan—or hold too tightly to our own plans—and anxiety starts to build like a mountain. In those moments, it’s easy to lose sight of where our help truly comes from. We try to stay in control, relying on ourselves instead of turning to God, and often make things harder in the process.
It’s a lesson I’ve learned and relearned many times throughout life. But a few weeks ago, God reminded me of it in a powerful way.
Between cross-country meets, marching band performances, swim practices, and ballet rehearsals, life was full. In the busyness, I lost track of the upcoming Religious Education calendar at St. Malachy’s in Madrid. What I thought was a Youth Group night turned out to be a Confirmation class—one that I was supposed to lead. Thankfully, my wife had the lesson planned, but with only an hour to prepare, I still felt overwhelmed.
As I waited for the students to arrive, I took a deep breath and prayed, “Lord, please help me get through this.” I didn’t realize it at the time, but that simple prayer was all God needed from me.
The evening unfolded in ways I never expected. A third of the students arrived at first—apparently just as confused about the schedule as I was—which eased my nerves. A few minutes later, more students came in, bringing with them some lively chatter and laughter. What started as a structured lesson soon became an open conversation about faith.
The students asked about Confirmation and choosing a saint name, and then the questions widened: marriage, Church traditions, the Mass. Some were a little off-topic, but they were heartfelt, and I did my best to answer. When I didn’t know an answer, I promised to ask our priests, deacons, or liturgists and bring it back next time.
At the end of class, I led prayer and thanked God that we had made it through. As the students left, one of them turned and said, “That was the best class yet.”
In that moment, I smiled, realizing that God had been there the entire time—guiding, providing, and teaching me once again to let go and trust Him. All I had to do was ask and believe.