Answered Prayer

Thinking about prayer today.


I have strong feelings about prayer.
I think it is so powerful and yet so neglected.
I think it it so essential to knowing God, yet so difficult to understand.


I pray out of joy, fear, obedience, need, longing, etc...
I pray God will show me how to pray.
Sometimes I am afraid to pray.
Sometimes my prayers go unanswered and it hurts deeply.




I have a long history of answered prayers and when I get discouraged I think about those prayers.
Today I celebrate answered prayer and the trust it built in me.

• At 16, I was very lonely, my BFF ;) had made other friends and I missed that deep connection. I thought I was destined to be a missionary and had come to terms with the idea that I would never marry, but I knew I needed friendship. I prayed deeply and sincerely for a best friend. Not six months later I met Michael. Never in a million years did I want expect the answer to my prayers to be my soul mate and now husband of 15 years. Trust me my high school was not a hotbed of men grounded in intregrity and honor.

• My son was born with a kidney defect but after many prayers has never had one symptom of the illness.

• Prayed 20 years for a dear friend to come to understand and know Christ as her saviour. Last year she did.

• Laid hands on and prayed for a friend who could not have children. She had to stop all fertility treatments and was discouraged. I asked God to give her a baby she could see was directly from Him. Two months later she found out she was pregnant. Timing wise she got pregnant right around the day I prayed.

• Had no vehicles, so hubby and I got on our knees in prayer and tears, within a day we had a truck. Within a month we had a car. We got them both debt free and were better off financially than before.

• An answered prayer I did not even pray(this was a hearts desire I was too afraid to pray for)- out of the blue friends offer to keep my children so I could go on a week long mission trip to Mexico. It was my first mission trip. At the time I was praying deeply for our church to get a pastor and did not even dream this could happen.

• During parenting struggles with my son prayed God would change his heart. A year later he has undergone a radical change and I take zero credit. I was consistent in my parenting but only the Holy Spirit could change a heart. (many prayer warriors prayed this prayer for me)

• Several friends husbands needed jobs and with prayer they found ones that were very good fits for the families.

• A friend's mother had a falling out with her and I prayed they could reconcile. Two weekends ago they did.

Some would quickly say luck, coincidence or fate were responsible for these events.
I can only say I walked in these feet and lived this life and no one is this lucky. Random chance bound by the laws of math has been defied in my life.


What these and thousands of other experiences have taught me were:
To pray boldly, God will show you if you are praying for something outside of His will.


To be expectant, look for God working it the situation.


And to trust God, he doesn't need direction from us, just share your concerns and trust Him with them.