The “All Things” Basket

“And we know that all things work together for

good to those who love the Lord,

to those who are the called

according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

This scripture has significant value to me because I learned through my life that even when we can’t see it, even when we can’t feel it, God is working it out. I’ve learned to put things I can’t understand into my “all things” basket. When I was a little girl, I was raised by my father and his mother. My praying paternal grandmother stepped in to help my father with his three-stair-step toddler children. I remember crying many days, wondering why I couldn’t have a mother in the home like all of my friends. I remember many times being embarrassed when my grandmother walked me to public school, and my classmates asked, “Where is your mother? Why does your grandmother bring you to school?” It wasn’t until years after my grandmother passed that I really appreciated her sacrifice. My grandmother died when I was 11 years old, and my mother came back for about a year, and then she left again. Once again, I was crushed.

Growing up, I somehow thought being cared for by my father and grandmother was one of the worst things that could have happened. It was not natural. It was not the way it was supposed to be. After graduating from high school, I went on to college, just knowing that I wanted to help people. My career took me down many paths, from working in foster care to preventive services, where I assumed the responsibility of recruiting and training seniors to become role models for at-risk families.

I loved this job because I got to work with both seniors and children. Years later, one of my friends who knew of my work with seniors offered me a job at his agency that had just received funds to start a program for grandparents raising their grandchildren. The program grew, and eventually I was asked by the city to come and head their Grandparent Resource Center at the Department for the Aging. The program grew to become a national model.

I won many awards and was invited to speak across the country at conferences. I met elected officials, including Mayors and Governors. The New York Daily News named me one of the “100 Women Who Shape Our City”. Years later, I went to work for the Brookdale Foundation’s RAPP (Relatives as Parents Program), where we offered grants, guidance, and technical assistance to programs across the country to assist relative caregivers. I went full circle from helping grandparents and other caregivers locally at the community level to the city level and then on to the national level.

How did I know about grandparents raising their grandchildren? Where did I get this passion to help and assist these families? How did I know what they feel and what they need? I lived it!

Years ago, when I thought it was the worst thing in my life, I did not know that the Lord was working “all things” out for my good.

I had no clue that there was a plan being worked out for my life. But you see, what I thought was the worst thing, turned out to be a good thing because “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” What a blessing. And that is why I have learned to put everything in the “all things” basket.

Rolanda T. Pyle (c) All Rights Reserved.