I was recently catching up with an old friend when the conversation turned to my newfound hobby of crocheting. I proudly showed off my lopsided creations, laughing at their adorable imperfections. My friend smiled and shared the story of St. Gertrude of Nivelles, a patroness of travelers, the sick, and, interestingly, knitters and those who work with wool.

According to tradition, St. Gertrude was a devoted abbess who spent her life in prayer and service. It is said that she would weave blankets for the poor, and with every stitch, she offered a prayer—especially for the souls in Purgatory. Each thread, each knot, became a tangible intercession, a work of love not only for those in need but for those unseen, suffering souls who longed for Heaven.

I found myself relating to and deeply moved by this idea—how something as simple as crafting could be transformed into an act of faith. I shared with my friend how, as I crocheted a small stuffed elephant, I found myself wanting to pray for the child who would one day, God willing, seek comfort in it. Each stitch became a whispered hope, a tiny intercession. But with each loop of yarn, I also felt a deep longing—I wanted to be making this for my child, not just a hypothetical one.

The realization stung.

Yet, as I sat with that ache, another thought crossed my mind. In faith, I already can. Just because I am not yet where I long to be does not mean I cannot prepare, cannot pray, cannot trust. Faith is not about waiting idly; it is about living in expectation—actively participating in God’s plan even when the path ahead is unclear.

The Challenge of Discernment

In my circle, there is often much discussion about discerning vocations. The question arises:

“How do I know? How can I tell if what I desire aligns with God’s will?”

It is a difficult question, and searching for the answer can be frustrating. The best response I have found is this:

“How do you feel you can best serve God and His kingdom?”

For me, that answer has always been clear. I feel strongly called to be a wife and mother. Yet, in moments of discouragement, I have found myself in prayer, pleading, “Lord, please make me a wife. I feel this is what You want for me. Help me find my husband. Make me a wife.”

The response I felt in my heart was startlingly clear, like an old friend gently knocking sense into me:

“Then be a wife.”

Living as a Wife Before Marriage

At first, this seemed confusing. How could I be a wife before even meeting my husband? But as I reflected, I realized the truth of Proverbs 18:22:

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.”

It does not say, “He who finds a girl and then dates her, and after much deliberation, someday makes her a fiancée when things feel right.” No. He who finds a wife.

This means that I am already called to live in that identity. Just as religious sisters become brides of Christ before taking their final vows, a woman called to marriage does not become a wife on her wedding day—she is a wife in how she carries herself, how she prepares, how she loves, and how she trusts.

And notice, too, that scripture says he finds a wife. The burden is not on me to chase, to strive, to force something into place. Instead, my role is to seek Him—to grow in virtue, to deepen my faith, to nurture the qualities of a godly wife long before I meet the man who will recognize them in me.

The Little Way of Preparation

This is where St. Thérèse of Lisieux comes in. She taught that holiness is found not in grand gestures, but in the little things—small acts of love, done with great devotion.

She once wrote:

“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

My crocheting, then, is not just a hobby. It is a little way of preparation. Each stitch is a prayer for my future children. Each piece I make is a quiet act of love, a practice in patience, a symbol of hope. It is a way of saying, Lord, I trust You. I am preparing my heart for the calling You have placed within me, even though I do not yet see its fulfillment.

St. Thérèse did not wait for grand opportunities to serve God—she made holiness out of the ordinary moments. And that is what we are all called to do in our vocations, whether they are fully realized yet or not.

Preparing in Faith

So as I sit here, crocheting a tiny elephant, I remind myself that I am not just making a toy—I am practicing motherhood in faith. I am praying over a child I have yet to meet, preparing in hope, and embracing the truth that God’s plans unfold in perfect time.

If you, too, feel like you are waiting—whether for a vocation, a calling, or a dream unfulfilled—know that you do not have to wait passively. Live in preparation. Step into the identity God has called you to, even before it fully materializes. Because faith is not just about believing—it is about becoming.

And in the meantime, embrace the Little Way. Find holiness in the everyday. Offer each small moment, each simple act, as a prayer. Because it is often through the little things—just like a single stitch in a blanket, or a humble flower in a garden—that God reveals His greatest plans.