It has been a year like no other. I could not have imagined this if I had tried.
I love reading back on my posts, as I often write out prayers or what I am praying at the time. I look back to see and ask..."has God answered my prayers?" I am reminded that He does. In looking back I can rejoice and give thanks. I am reminded of the promises God has for me, for my family. Most times, God answers in ways that I would not have thought...I love that. I love how creative our God is. So often I can get the picture that God has to answer logically and practically, when God often surprises me with how he answers.
In reading previous posts, I have prayed specific things.
1. That Paula and I would have a home to live in.
2. That God would make a way to get us out of debt.
3. That God would provide for our needs...not our wants.
4. That God would give us a child...children.
5. That God would provide for me to go to conferences, Exodus, Living Waters.
6. That God would bring us to a Church Community that he wants us involved in.
7. That God would direct our steps regarding employment, education and ministry opportunities.
This is just a few of my specific prayers.
Paula and I live in a quaint little home in the west end. It fits us. We are thankful to have had a realtor (Rosalie Rattai) who prayed with us in our search for a home. Who walked with us and when we decided to give up the search, she said...I think I found one you might like...well, we loved it...and knew because we had decided to give up "our" search, God brought this home to us. The house is like us, a work in progress. What we find the most is that people don't generally like to leave our place. That is our one prayer that our home would continue to be a home of peace and refuge.
We have prayed for our debt to be gone. Well, God has made a way for us to continue to be indebted, but with no interest. So we are still in debt technically, but with no interest (thank you from the bottom of our hearts to the people who have made this happen for us) In the process, of walking out budgeting and living more disciplined lives, we have realized the importance of finances. Realizing our responsibility to give to others, to provide what others need. To save for our daughter, to be good stewards of what really belongs to God...our provider. He owns it all, and in a sense we just rent from him. God has placed it on the hearts of others to provide for us in ways that far exceed our understanding. We are thankful to those who give anonymously, to those who give knowingly and to those who continue to pray. We have been the recipients of food, clothing, and that has been a huge blessing to us. Since we live on a very limited income, we have seen God move in provision, which has increased our faith. It has increase our faith not just in provision, but in our giving, and in the community that we surround ourselves in.
God brought us Phoebe Eliese Selah...after we said goodbye to Micah and Hannah. We are thankful to have a beautiful Child to raise and cherish, but as I thought this morning in my prayer time, she is God's daughter first. So I relinquished my hold on her, and asked God to give me the strength, wisdom and love to raise her as a forerunner. As a daughter of a Kind. She is the apple of His eye, just as she is mine. I ask that God continue to give me deeper sense of what Father means.
God has provided ways to go to conferences. Paula and I were asked to speak at the Exodus Conference last year. It was an incredible experience. God moved. God breathed, God answered.
He provided a way for us to go to Midland Texas to be a part of a ministry opportunity for married couples. He provided a way for us to attend other conferences and leadership events. We are grateful.
We are still praying about the future and what it entails. That God would direct our steps, give us wisdom, ideas, creative ways to make ends meet. That he would bless our imagination, and give us words to speak and write.
Paula and I both write for the Christian Courier. We both realized that this has been an answer. We would like to write books, and this way, we are published writers, which makes the process a little easier. So this year, we are focusing on writing.
So we still have a big list of things we are praying about. Mostly, we are praying for others. We are praying for those caught in the lies of gender confusion. Those trapped in the enemies grip of death. We know full well the restorative power of Jesus Christ. That he can do anything. Really. Anything. Why we limit God is beyond me, but I do it all the time. I forget. I have to be reminded. So I write to remember. I write to remind myself of the faithfulness of God. I have people in my life who say..."remember...what God did?"
I pray for the prodigals, searching for a way home. I pray for the poor and needy, the orphans the widows. I pray for the brokenhearted. I pray for Christ's return.
Now I pray for our wee one, I pray for Paula. I pray for us. That we would remain faithful, in the turmoil of the world around us. That we would stay faithful to God. That we would not fall away. I give thanks for the messes in my life, the brokenness, which points me always to Jesus, my healer and restorer. I press on to the finish.
Thank you Lord for answered prayers,
for who you are as...FAITHFUL ONE! I give you this year...to teach me, teach us. To mold us, refine us, love on us, commune with us, show us your wonder, your power, your might. Come Lord Jesus, come. May we be like the prepared bride, waiting for you the bride groom...who is so in love with us...his bride.
