I'm the prize

I suppose before I start my offering on the name of God, I should say something about where I've been.  One of our daughters got married.  Okay, so mother of bride is a busy task, or at least can be... My tasks weren't that much really. But the wedding was very hectic, very busy, extremely wonderful.  There were THREE major events - not one, not two but yes, three.  Two occurred in the Washington DC area and one in New Jersey.  They occurred on two different weekends.  Remember, some of us live in Nashville TN.  So, large family - moving people around, showing them my wonderful hometown of Brooklyn NY and trips to Manhattan, etc., did make for a very busy time.  Last weekend I had a statistics test.  I don't need to say much more than that... So, if you wondered what happened to Joyce, that's a very short summary.

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When I was in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago, I bought some raffle tickets.  I was in this wonderful little Norwegian shop to buy cookies to complete the favor boxes.  This shop is one of the last remnants in that neighborhood of what was once a very large, thriving, and wonderful Norwegian neighborhood. I tell people that the only way I would have grown up more Norwegian was if I grew up in Norway.  Everything was Norwegian in my world.  

That's all changed, and now this little shop has become Norway central for those who still live there and those that go to pay homage to the past.  As I paid for the cookies, I noticed the raffle tickets.  Syttende Mai is coming up - Norwegian Constitution Day.  It's a day that might be compared to the 4th of July but probably bigger to most Norwegians.  The parade will be this Sunday.  I'm still praying for a miracle that I can get there but so far, no miracle.  As a child I wore my bunad and marched in the heat.  The tar in the road usually stuck to my shoes.  People joked about how you could fry an egg on the street.  My cultural pride was always rewarded by ice cream.

In preparation for the festivities, there is always a raffle.  The grand prize is a trip to Norway.  I bought a bunch of tickets.  I want to win. I really, really, really want to win.  I want to go back to Norway.

If I win, I will have to redeem my prize.  It will be a glorious day.  Almost like those pictures you see when someone stands with a huge check and they won the lottery.  I will really be happy.  I'll probably have a smile a mile wide and call everyone I know.  Since I've already started dreaming about that trip, I will be ready to go when I win.

But there is another redemption that is much more exciting.  It was my redemption by God.  The Hebrew word for redemption is go'el.  It means kinsman redeemer.  It reminds us of the story in the book of Ruth.  Boaz, her kinsman redeemer lays his claim to her and together they take their place in the lineage of David, and later Jesus.  

Haggoel is also a name of God.  It means THE REDEEMER.  I have been redeemed.  I am the prize? Wait, that can't be... me a prize for the holy God.  No, it makes sense and sends me to my knees in gratitude and humility.  I am redeemed because God is love.  I am redeemed because I am His beloved child, formed in the image of God.  I am redeemed from all my past, all my sin, all my confusion, all my anguish - I am redeemed.

I guess since I started talking about Brooklyn, and end with redemption, it is fitting to add a video of a group singing a song I sang in the pews of a Norwegian church in Brooklyn.

Names of God

As a Christian, we don’t serve many gods, but one God with many names. Many Bible studies abound with devotionals about the names of God, each one unique, each one true, and each name represented in its fullness in the character of God. What I love about the presence of God is that when he is present, ALL of his names are present too. You need healing? The Healer is there. You need righteous judgement? The Ancient of Days is there. You need comfort? The Comforter is there. Do you feel invisible? The God Who Sees is there.

This week on Kingdom Bloggers we’re sharing what name of God is the one we call to in the present day. Please read along and share your own thoughts and experiences with the God who has many names.

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I hate sickness, disease and injury. They are of the enemy. I know this because disease and sickness steals joy, kills life and destroys hope and that is what the enemy does (John 10:10) but Jesus came so we could have life but not just humdrum life. No. He came so we could have abundant life. And that is why I call often on the name of Jehovah Rapha, The Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26). It’s not abundant life if we’re limited in any way.

There is no pain or sickness in heaven, and Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It’s a dangerous prayer for those who risk praying it. Jesus invited us to call heaven down on earth. Disease, sickness and injury have robbed enough in my life, and I’m fighting back. I’m calling in a great big God, one who can heal any disease, sickness or injury.

My heart breaks for anyone ravished with disease or malformation and I will pray to the Jehovah Rapha whenever I have the chance but it’s closer to home as well. My Boy has a severe skin condition that doctors, naturopaths and well read friends can’t cure. I’m done with natural knowledge because I’ve come to the end of the line. I need a supernatural solution for my Boy. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

I love to dance and worship and flag but recently I’m limited because of an old knee injury that has reared its ugly head again. At times, nothing with hold me back and I’ll bring a sacrifice of praise to my Lord but my body rebukes me every time. I need a new knee, plain and simple. The best doctors can do is give me a knee replacement but at my [young] age (I’m still a few years shy of 40), I am anticipating at least 3 replacements over the next 20-30 years. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem like a heavenly solution. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

Last week on my blog, I wrote that I believe a time is coming when all the sick that are prayed for, will be healed. It’s Biblical – all who came to Jesus were healed. He is the same: yesterday, today and forever. I won’t build a theology around why I don’t see it manifested yet, but I continually and faithfully call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals because he can, and he will. It’s in his nature to heal you.

Katniss I am not

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. Romans 12:6.

One of my guilty pleasures is a good old apocalyptic tale, like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, or the films, “I am Legend,” “28 Days later” and  “The Hunger Games” (this may surprise some friends who know I love all things Austen and Masterpiece Theatre). But, I am no Katniss. If I was cast into the wilderness after a world disaster, I would be more like Peeta. I would eat the wrong berries, mistake nettles for aloe and be eaten by a wild animal right quick. But I tend not to panic in tense situations, so like Peeta, if I survived the first few days, I could give a comforting hug and encouragement to those with whom I travel, and provide a modicum of entertainment.

So, my list of five things I would bring with me are not the most practical, but necessary for my psychological and physical survival: a Bible, pack of pens, thick notebook, prescription sunglasses and a water purifier.

God’s Word is essential as a reminder of His promises, care and provision in all circumstances. Pen and paper provides an instant stress reducer as I unload fears, deep thoughts (if I have any) and plans (being future-oriented in this instance would help prevent giving up in dire times). I was going to choose pencils instead of pens, since they last longer, but then I would have to take a sharpener. The parts of a used pen may prove useful in some way, like the spigot thing Katniss drives into a tree trunk laden with water in Catching Fire.

The water purifier is an obvious choice (I don’t know much about camping, but I know safe water is critical), but the sunglasses are not. I am terribly near-sighted, so my glasses are always on, except when I read. My Raybans would be an extra thing to carry, but if I have to move about unshowered, no makeup and my hair a mess, at least allow me one cool factor. And cornea protection.

I don’t know if I would survive very long in the wilderness (unless I had my sister Lois with me, who used to talk a lot about “foraging”), but I would hope that to my last breath, I would help others, especially my family, to do so in the ways that God has enabled me. It seems like pen and paper would be fairly useless, unless the words on a page can encourage, exhort, bring direction and joy, and inspire hope. I am certain they can.

"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have." V. Lombardi

During my Cold War era days of service with the United States Marine Corps, I kept a 'ready bag' packed to grab and go on a moments notice. Inside was the absolute minimal gear I would need to get by if dropped into an Area of Responsibility (AOR) until resupply was available.

It takes a lot of training and mental fortitude to leave one's family behind unsure what their foreseeable future might hold while you rush to do your job and save the free world from godless commies...

Sorry. I guess that brainwashing sticks with a person long after their time in service is done.

Yes, I have an emergency bag packed and plan in place in the event of disaster or revolution. As a loving husband and father of three, I wouldn't feel comfortable not being prepared. I've gone as far as preparing a Survival Package that contains crucial information that my family will need to know in the event..well...you know...I don't make it. Shelter, water and food plus a driving desire to survive can bring a person through circumstances that might be unimaginable to them today.

So, what would be my five 'extra' things I would grab before leaving? Actually, I've already thought this one through:

1.  My personal Bible. I wrote about this Stone of Remembrance last November. We've been through tough times together already, and I know the reassuring message contained in its pages would resonate strongly in the most dire times.

2. A family picture album. I have one in mind already. Hope is a very powerful thing especially in a survival situation. A picture is worth a thousand words is cliche for a reason.

3. My grandfather's pocketknife. Granted, it wouldn't be much of a tool and far more effective tools are already in the emergency bag, but these single inheritance from my ancestry has not only a ton of stories packed inside...but also a lifetime of wisdom and life lessons.

4.  Several classic novels from the bookcase. Without the blitz of media-laced electronic entertainment, boredom will take hold quick. A nice change of pace from daily biblical stories would be an interjection of modern culture. What better way to keep that culture alive than nightly reading aloud from Steinbeck, Faulkner or Hemingway to pass the time.

5.  My journal. While my story is by no means special, it is uniquely mine. For the several years I've documented my thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams, those pages are a glance into who I truly am. I would not only want my girls to have those pages, but to pass them on to their children to show them that loving God with all your heart is not just a memorable passage from the Good Book, but a true way of life. A forever changing way of life. I'm pretty sure that comes across loud and clear to this point of the journal.

I don't consider myself a survivalist by any stretch of the imagination. I'm also not an alarmist, but I do realize we live in an unstable world where politics or nature itself can explode at any given moment. Here's one last cliche to chew on:

Better safe than sorry

One thing I know with absolute certainty, regardless of my circumstances, God is with me always.

Don't Leave Home Without Them

This week on Kingdom Bloggers, we have been asked to list 5 things that we would take with us if we had to leave home suddenly. This takes into account that we would already have practical things and money on our list.
1) I would definitely take my Bible. Which version might be a dilemma to me but I probably would choose my Amplified Bible. I would also take a NIV Bible, with the thought that I could tear pages out of it to give to people who didn’t have a Bible or those who had just come to faith. At least they would have a portion of the Word. That decision is based on a testimony I heard years ago about a man who was a prisoner in China for many years.He had a little piece of paper with 1 scripture on it. He said that, the Scripture sustained him all those years.
2) I would take my many pens, colored pencils, lead pencils and markers. I would also bring a huge stack of index cards to draw and write on. I presently do two things already iwith these cards, as the Lord leads.1) I am often lead to write Encouraging Prophetic message for a person. In the past, I too have been given words and then have forgotten a lo of what has been spoken to me. So I feel that by writing them down, people have a change to review and reflect on them. 2) The other thing that I have started doing recently I giving a bunch of about 30 cards to a specific person that the Lord has put on my heart. They may need an encouragement from the Lord. I draw a little picture and write something on each card. For each person, the drawings are different, as well as the messages. I put them in order, as the Holy Spirit leads and trust that each day is the words that that person needs for that day. I tell them not to peek into the next day’s message…ha-ha…not sure if they comply. Both practices have been a discipline for me to tune into the Holy Spirit so that I could bless others.
3) I would take as much Diet Coke as I could carry. I know, I know,…it’s terrible and it isn’t healthy at all but I drink it every day. (My bad). I would bring enough to at least wean off of it so that I wouldn’t get a caffeine withdrawal headache ( *grin*)
4) I would take as many craft supplies as I could to make things for other people. As my granddaughter has recently taught me how to do origami, bringing papers for that would be a light load.
5) I don’t have much memorabilia from my parents, my son and my brother and such, so I carry their memories in my heart. What I would remember to take though is “Baby”, “Tiger”, Blankie”, and “Chickie” for my grandchildren, as I believe that I would leave not leave home without my grandchildren. It would be hard for them not to have their “cuddlies”. In that vein, I would have stories for them in my heart, that I would tell them. Beacause we are talking about stories, I probably am “cheating” as I add this additional item to take, but I would bring my Library Card ( just in case there were Libraries open and functioning), so that I could borrow books for myself as well as my Grandchildren.
I trust that with all of us, what we will be carrying, is not visible with natural eyes but would be the most important thing that we could carry and that would be the Presense of the Lord.
He travels light. He would breeze through airport security. He would be lead the way on the paths long before carved out for me. He would be with me to offer Light in the nighttime and the assurance that He is looking out for me and my loved ones. He would carry me, when I tire. He would be the navigator. He would be before and behind me and on each side of be, protecting me and hedging me in. He would be THE best travelling companion and I would find comfort in that He has walked the path way before me and He knows the way.
In actuality,it would be essential to have Him go with me. He would never be an additional load to me.
As,…“He ain’t heavy, cuz He’s my Brother!
( OK, you are allowed to groan at that last line!)
Linda Maynard

Five Possessions by Jenna Vick Silliman

The question to answer this week for Kingdom Bloggers is, "If all your basic needs are provided for, what additional five items would you want to keep? I would keep the old family Bible that my grandma, Lois Geraldine Squires Vick, left me in her will. It was handed down to her by her parents. It is a beautiful, antique Bible, dated 1883, with lots black and white illustrations. In the front Grandma wrote, “Family Bible which belonged to Earl & Minerva Squires. This Bible should be given to Jennifer (Vick) Silliman. The Bible belonged to her great grandparents. My Grandma prayed for me every day of my life and probably still prays for me in heaven. She left the Bible to me because she knew (knows?) I love the Word and I love God.

My Amplified Bible is another item on my list. I read two pages or more every morning and ask God to speak to me. He always does! It is full of notes, dates next to verses, and underlining. I love my old New American Standard Bible too. It is my first one that I bought after I decided to follow Jesus, on March 23, 1974. However, I can only choose five items, according to the theme for Kingdom Bloggers this week, so it has to be left behind.

I also have two photo albums I would keep. One is my wedding pictures from May 24, 1980. I covered the album with blue fabric left from my bridesmaid’s dresses and also lace leftover from when my wedding dress was made. (I would like to keep my wedding dress, but the Kingdom Bloggers will not let me. Hahaha!) The other photo album is of my childhood that I titled, “The Vickids’ Childhood Photo Album”.  It is a photo history of the Vick family—or at least my branch as far as it reaches. This album also contains my side of the family’s stories and also genealogy, from both my father’s and mother’s sides of the family. At age five my real mother left us, so it was quite a bit of work gathering everything from the Pearson family. I have very old photographs in here and chose the best to represent each of us to express who we are and who we were growing up. I gave the album to my father, James Allan Vick, for Father’s Day in 2008. After my brother, Joshua James Allan Vick, died of heart failure, September 24, 2007, my sisters and parents and myself, sent any and all photographs of him to each other. We had to see every one!  I gathered them all together and lovingly dedicated the album in memory of him. I also gave the album to my sisters, Reine Vick Bullard, who lives in Michigan, and Judy Vick, who lives near San Luis Obispo, California.

Last, but not least, I would keep my computer. It has my writings on it and lots of photos of my children and events from my life. Writing this has made me realize that I have to get to work on a photo history album of my children. I do not want to trust my computer to keep photographs safe! I also have boxes and boxes of pictures, so this project is daunting! Also I would like to gather my stories and writings into an album, so they are all together and can be read and enjoyed for generations. Someday I will re-do this writing and title it, “Seven Possessions, Bibles and Albums”. 

5 Items

I don’t know if it’s recent movies I’ve seen or I’m remembering the old Left Behind videos from the 1970’s that caused me to repent and continually ask Jesus in my heart because I didn’t want to be left behind to face the tribulation or the reality that I live on the West Coast with one road access and the threat of a tsunami is possible but I’ve been thinking about emergency preparedness. This week on Kingdom Bloggers, we’re writing about 5 items we’d take in the event of a world disaster.

Here’s the scene:

You are escaping your home; all of your family members are safe and healthy. Each family carries one backpack, weighing 30lbs. You have dehydrated meals - one for every family member to eat one meal per day for 7 days, two gallons of water, one change of clothing, plus waterproof rain jacket & boots and $1000 cash.  You don’t know where you are going, or what you’ll find when you get there. Communication and electrical power are shut down. You can add an additional 5 items to your backpack, what are the items you carry with you?

1. My first item is my Bible for several reasons. First, it’s a good thing to have. Matthew 4:4 says, “Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” I believe we need God’s word to survive. Secondly, my Bible is where I record life events – special dates and ways I’ve seen God move in my life. For sentimentality reasons, my Bible is more precious than any of the numerous scrapbooks I’ve made. And thirdly, the stories contained in the Bible are life giving messages and reading to pass idle times will be refreshing.
   
   
2. Another item has dual reasons for including it. My Grandma was a quilter and I have many quilts by her but the one I have from childhood is more precious than the others because it connects me to my past. I want to bring it for sentimentality and for the practical reason it can provide cushioning and/or warmth.
   
3. The 3^rd item on my survival list is a leatherman. My Man is like McGyver, (Remember that old TV show? Give him a wire hanger, baby wipes and an apple and he could assemble a bomb) he can pretty much accomplish anything with a leatherman.
    
4. The 4^th item is a first-aid kit; not only will my family need to consider first aid but others we encounter along the way may require first aid.
    
5. Finally, item #5 is a tarp; I live on the rainy West Coast (dubbed Wet Coast) and dry shelter is a concern, plus when not using it as shelter, it can be used to store or drag other items with us.

Okay, so that’s my list. What would you include? Is your list much different? Do you go for sentimentality or practicality?

He Has a Plan for Your Prayer

When I was a teenager, planning for the future was not my thing. I had a five-month plan, perhaps, but a five-year plan? Five years was ridiculously far away. For instance, applying to college was not the long, drawn out process it is for teens today. I simply chose to go the inexpensive route (both in dollars and planning time) and follow my friends to a state university.

God changed my way of thinking my sophomore year in college. The Living God tends to do that for His children.

“Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

I knew I was not comfortable at the university--I wanted smaller classes, and a school with a spiritual aspect. Not being a partier, I was unhappy with dorm life, so I was already living back at home. The one school that fit the bill within driving distance of my home was St. Joseph College in West Hartford, Connecticut.

However, the school’s bill did not “fit the bill”--at $5,000 a year, it was more than triple the cost of my university (those were the days!). So, I prayed. This was a big deal for me: I had not prayed as a believer for something so big and so specific. But, other more seasoned Christians were telling me that God cares for His children and He answers prayer--sometimes in miraculous or unexpected ways.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20.

So, I stepped out in faith: “Lord, I really want to go to St. Joe’s, but the tuition seems out of reach. I pray for a scholarship--and if the scholarship lowers tuition by half, then I’ll know you want me to go there.”

I still remember the day I opened my acceptance letter and my financial aid award: “You have been awarded the Vitimaur Scholarship for merit: $2,500.” I nearly fell over. It was my first clear answer to prayer and it was a huge faith builder.

But what I did not know was that my time at St. Joseph would bring several special people into my life: professors who encouraged me to pursue excellence and who inspired me academically for the first time in my life, and two future family members: my friend Maureen, who when I was a senior, introduced me to her brother, my future partner in life.

God had a plan for me that I did not even know existed--and that plan is still unfolding for me and my family ever since I prayed that very special request.

Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…

Come close. I want to tell you something about me. Closer. A little closer. You don't want to miss what I have to say...

I stink at relationships.

Actually, that's not accurate. I did stink at relationship before God answered my prayers. One specific prayer in particular.

The funny thing...God answered that prayer by showing me the true problem in my string of nearly 30 years worth of failed relationships was the obvious common denominator...me.  Ouch. My priorities in life almost immediately took a paradigm shift.

Lucky for me, God opened my eyes and heart with the woman at the center of those prayers. After the failure of my second marriage, I resolved to being content to live my life out as a bachelor and focus primarily on giving my daughter the best advantages at life that I possibly could. While the sentiment may appear honorable to many, there's a fundamental flaw in the application.

The world will swallow you up without God as the primary focus in your life. I was swallowed up rather quickly. My life as a single parent became a roller coaster ride of self-centered indulgences destined on a path of sure destruction.

Exactly how is this being a good father?

I knew in my heart that having a stable female role-model for my daughter should be a priority, and there were plenty of applicants for the job. There were also a few that went through the 'screening process' that could have cared less about my daughter. Here's with the truth really hurts and shames me to admit. I could have cared less too. The revolving door of promiscuity continued to turn...

At a crucial point in the whole masquerade, a young and virtuous damsel comes onto the scene. While she truly had all the attributes I knew my daughter needed in front of her on a regular basis, she was both far too young and far too virtuous for my personal liking. Then there was all that 'God stuff' she was into so strongly.

Long story short because you can read it here, a relationship evolved out of both of us loving my young daughter. Sure. She chastised me more than once over my self-centered behaviors. Rightfully so. It became apparent to everyone around us a relationship was almost inevitable. People started pointing that fact out to me. So... I prayed.

From those numerous prayers, God opened my heart to the story of King David. Another self-serving jerk on occasions. But David realized the err of his ways and turned his focus back onto God first and foremost. Only then did his life get back on the course God had intended.

That young lady became my Candice. She literally...saved my life from sure self-destruction. She also helped me realize that my true priorities in life were only biblical if and only if:  God came first, then her as my wife, followed by my daughter and eventually our children. An answered prayer  turned into a family focused on serving our God.

Who would have guessed it? Well...actually me if I had prayed and listen much earlier in my life.

Thank you Father for Your tremendous gift of prayer and the blessings that flow freely from that gift.

Lifetime Pots and Pans and a Working Garbage Disposal

Call to Me and I will answer you. I’ll show you marvelous

and wonderful things that you know nothing about

Jeremiah 33:3 

This week's subject of praying for something and the answer being better than expected seemed pretty straightforward to me. My answered prayer has a name and he is Marcel. my husband.
Initially, this prayer was a weak one. Probably no more than a whisper…a mustard seed proportion.
At the time, I had not expected to meet a decent man. Actually because of previous circumstances, I was leery and almost lost hope.
My mother, ever the one who held out hope for me, encouraged me to buy a set of Lifetime Pots and Pans. At first I thought it was a silly purchase, but she owned a set. Acting like a saleswoman herself, she talked me into signing a contract to pay so much a week. I mean how could you go wrong with a set that had a Lifetime Guarantee?
Isn’t it like a mom to hope for the best for her child? I am not sure I appreciated it as much as I do now.
Soon after, my Knight in Shining Armor galloped into my path…or should I say, at our first encounter, he gently coaxed me to the side .He did so, so that he could balance my teller window at the bank we worked at. He was no less a hero than a Knight though, as he quickly resolved the problem I was having. Thus the rest of the staff could finally leave to go home, albeit with loud sighs.
Marcel came from a small town in CT. It is called West Wauregan and is in the town of Brooklyn. His friend Bob, who also worked with us, glossed over the West Wauregan part and said that they were from Brooklyn. He was kind of embarrassed, coming from a town that no one had ever heard of.
When I heard this I said “Brooklyn! My brother went to Law School there! You know Saint John’s University?
Marcel groaned “Whoa...wrong Brooklyn…we live in CT, not New York.
The things that stood out for me about Marcel were instantly noticed. He was kind and polite. He did not have a big ego and He was considerate. He seemed genuinely interested in me. He was easy to talk to and had a great sense of humor. He even brought an umbrella when it rained. He had a blanket on the cold leather car seats. On those last two, it took time to see the positives about those, as I thought I was much too sophisticated to worry about getting wet or cold.

I kept having these “It’s too good to be true" thoughts about him. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. This never happened.
Of course he wasn't a saint but he was the best thing, after Jesus that ever appeared on my doorstep. He was a decent guy who was not afraid to show love to me. He respected me as a woman and as a person. He was eager to impress me. I mean how many girls can say that, on the day they met their future in-laws that they and their beau took a ride on the Town's Fire truck, with him driving. Now that was a BIG happening in West Wauregan. Did I mention...small town???"
We are so different in many ways and yet we complement each other.
I like how he has made our life together worth every minute.
Have we wondered if we would last? Yes. Have we ever had times when it was just plain ole' hard? Yes.
Isn't there a Gaither song titled “Through It All?"...but Through It All, he and I have remained commited to the Lord first and foremost and to one another thus far.
So, my Lifetime Pots and Pans lived up to their guarentee.
Sometimes our prayers come from promptings of someone who loves us and can see our future better than we can. That someone was my mom.  What was her Hope became my Hope. And then Hope became a prayer.
You might be curious as to how Garbage Disposals got into my Title. Well, I was considering the following scripture this evening.
“I will answer them even before they call me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers” Isaiah 65:24
Our garbage disposal has been broken for a while. I thought “We don’t have the money to buy a new one. Wouldn’t it be great if it miraculously started again?” (I could report on Kingdom Bloggers another answer to prayer that was better than expected.*smile*)
Before you roll your eyes, years ago our washer stopped working. It was a goner. Money was tight. I had heard somewhere about a woman praying for her washer. What did I have to lose?
You’ve guessed the conclusion. The washer started working and lasted a couple of more years.
Now, if I can just get that garbage disposal to cooperate and be open to my prayers.