If you’ve ever had a second child, you know exactly what I’m talking about. When I had my first boy, I was pretty sure I was a parenting expert. I had read all the books, attended all the classes, and mastered the fine art of diaper-changing in the dark. I thought, I’ve got this.

Enter Baby #2.

Now, I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but this kid came into the world with a flair for the unexpected. Everything I thought I knew about babies went out the window. From the start, he had his own ideas. This wasn’t a repeat performance; this was an entirely different play, with plot twists I could never have seen coming.

Take, for instance, the infamous diaper-removal incident. One morning, I walked into his room to find that he had—somehow—managed to wiggle out of his diaper. And not just any diaper, mind you. A fully loaded, middle-of-the-night kind of diaper. There was no “warning” sign, no subtle clues that he had a proclivity for escape artistry. But there he was, standing in his crib, giggling, completely naked, and utterly unconcerned with the catastrophe I was about to discover.

Now, you may be wondering: Did this lead to poop disaster? And I’m relieved to report, no. Not yet. But the threat, my friends, is ever-present. It’s like a dark cloud, hovering over the peaceful lull of night. Will tonight be the night? You can’t really live in that constant tension without being forced to laugh—because what else can you do? Parenting is the ultimate comedy, filled with absurd moments that you can’t possibly prepare for.

And just like that, this second boy of mine has flipped the script on everything I thought I knew.

In the same way, I’ve learned that my spiritual journey with God is not unlike my experience with my second son. When I first came to know Jesus, I had a sense of certainty, a sort of spiritual “diaper” that I assumed would protect me from the messes of life. I understood the basics—love God, love others, go to church, read the Bible, pray. I felt secure in my understanding of what God had planned for me and where I was headed.

But life, like my second boy, has a way of throwing you off balance. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, God reveals something new—something unexpected, something a little wild. Maybe it’s a change in direction, a challenge that you didn’t see coming, or an opportunity that feels completely outside of your comfort zone. The truth is, I’ve learned that my spiritual life is not as predictable as I once thought. God is full of surprises. And the more I walk with Him, the more I realize that He has a way of showing up in the most unexpected, sometimes even uncomfortable, places.

Life’s messes can’t be avoided. Sometimes, you just have to laugh in the chaos and trust that, even in the mess, there’s grace. I’ve learned that God is with me in the wild moments, the ones that leave me shaking my head in disbelief, or in my case, scrubbing a crib at 3 a.m. I know, in my heart, that He’s not surprised by my messes. If anything, He’s using them to show me more about His love, His faithfulness, and His ability to do things beyond my wildest imagination.

So, here’s what I’ve come to understand: As a mom, and as a follower of Jesus, the more I think I know, the less I actually do. It’s humbling. And it’s beautiful. Whether it’s the second child’s wild behavior, or a new twist in my spiritual walk, God seems to love teaching me through the unexpected. He reminds me to stay humble, to keep my heart open, and to never get too comfortable in my certainty.

I don’t know what the next day will bring with my second son. Maybe he’ll master the art of unscrewing his crib, or maybe he’ll find another unexpected way to keep me on my toes. But I do know this: I’m never alone in the surprises of life. I’m walking this wild journey with my Savior, who’s always ahead of me, leading me into new and unknown places.

And that, my friends, is the greatest surprise of all.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering—yes, I’ve now invested in diaper pins that could withstand a toddler Houdini. I may not have it all figured out, but I’ve learned a few tricks along the way.

And in the end, isn’t that all we can do?