“Mom. Mom. Guess what I got to see today?” The words came flying through the phone after barely saying hello.

“ Well, I have no idea, Garrett, what did you get to see?” I answered, trying to be just as excited.

“No! Mom, you’ve got to guess,” he pleaded. “Guess what I got to see today?”

“Geez, Garrett, I have no idea. Tell me!” I said, giving in to the game.

“I got to see Daniel’s tomb!” “You, know, Daniel. Daniel from the Bible. You know, Daniel in the lion’s den, DANIEL!” I had to laugh; he was so excited to tell me he could hardly breathe.

“Wow, son! Tell me all about it.” And of course in Garrett’s usual fashion, the description came in rapid-fire, 100 words a minute. His love for God and the Bible came spilling out. I loved it. He sounded like my little boy again, if only for those few minutes.

One of the many cool things about this call was when it happened. I was leading a Bible study on the Book of Daniel! How awesome is God that He would have me studying and teaching about Daniel in Texas while He arranges for Garrett to visit Daniel in Babylon — A M A Z I N G!

God was so gracious in allowing this to happen because it brought such affirmation to my question, ‘did I raise Garrett well enough to have strong faith in the Lord?’ Garrett’s walk with the Lord during high school and after he left for the Army, didn’t exactly look like I thought it should. I knew he was saved but the way he lived it didn’t fit my pictures. So I often worried if I’d done my job well enough. Thankfully, whenever Garrett came home on leave, he would visit with our pastor, and he let me know that I had nothing to worry about. As he put it, Garrett was ‘smooth with God.’

If you’re a little worried about your grown kiddo’s faith walk because it doesn’t look like yours or it doesn’t fit your pictures, remember God’s got this! He is on the throne, and He has your child in His hands. And He is the one in relationship with them. It doesn’t have to look right to us to be right with God.

Garrett had only been serving in Iraq, Daniel’s Babylon, for a couple of months when he and some of the other soldiers were taken out to see the tomb of Daniel. I think it was the highlight of his tour there.

Ten months later, Garrett was killed in action. I have absolutely no doubt as to where he is. I do, however, wonder. I wonder if he and Daniel have had a little talk about Babylon…