Answers to prayers - or coincidence?

 My oldest son needed to get in to see a specific specialist.  He waits a few days, then makes the phone call - and gets in the following day!  And another specialist he needs to see - he sees the next day!  Don't tell me that God isn't good and doesn't listen to prayers!

And then, on the other hand... hubby needed to get in to see a specialist after his recent doctor visit... and his specialist appointment is October 3 - what's up with the delay?  I have no answer, but can only think it is possibly because in his asking for a doctor in this practice.... he wanted in this area.  Not the first one who has an availability - wherever the office is located, but in this area.  And I get that.  We try to get people we will see on a fairly regular basis in the area we live in so that it's easier to get to.  So his one specialist is October 3rd.... I'm not sure what's going on with the other issue.  I think they are waiting on this doctor's report and the ultrasound results before moving on.  Hubby has been discouraged, of course, because he can't 'see' what is going on in his body, and as you know, he has a great fear of being sick and dying.  We all are going to die, but when he asks me if he is dying, I only respond with "we are trying to get to the root of the issues so that we know what will make you better."  What else can I say?

Since his diagnosis, I admit, I have been somewhat anxious about him.  He never complained much before of not feeling well.  And I get it; now that you know it is legit and you ARE sick, it's easy to fall back into the "I am sick, that is why I feel this way" thinking.  But yesterday... 

I had breakfast with my boss (took me an hour to get there!!) and he had his ultrasound.  When I got back home, as I opened the back door quietly, I thought I heard him snoring. No biggie; he often falls asleep in his chair.  Unfortunately, I made some noise as I came in and by the time I got to the living room, he was awake.  He looked terrible.  I asked him if he was ok.  He said he didn't feel good, felt nauseated, and very very tired and weak.  I let it go for awhile, then went back and asked if I should take him to the ER (as Dr. Mark told us to do if he felt sick), but he said no.  He started moving around and didn't say anything else about not feeling well.  

This morning he has training with Morgan.  She has been letting him choose what area of body he wanted to work on and has lightened his weights.  She told me last night that he grumbles that he doesn't feel like he is achieving much right now (with exercise), but she reminded him that at 88, at least he is getting up and going to the gym and doing SOMETHING - as most his age would say it's too much effort.  Morgan does try to encourage him to keep coming and doing something.... and he has showered this morning and I know he has an 8:30AM with her this morning.  At least I think he does.  

I try to watch him and pay attention to what he is doing; I don't know what things I should watch for.  I am trying to cook better meals as I have gotten very lazy with cooking lately.  We have eaten out way too much and with it costing so much to eat out anymore, we have been spending way too much money for other people to cook our food.  Going out with friends is one thing, but we need to pull out of just going because I don't want to cook - or hubby doesn't want me to cook cause he knows I'm tired. We have also started sharing meals, although the other night hubby acted like I was taking too much of 'HIS' food (I wasn't; I think he was just confused for there was a great variety).  We all know he loves to eat (more so than I do) and always cleans his plate up.  We are from the age that we had to growing up.

 My stepfather would not let us get up from the table until our plate was empty.  When he wanted fried pigs brains (yes, that is such a thing), he made mother fix it and he would force us kids to eat it.  I would throw up - and still had to come back and clean my plate.  Then run to the bathroom again to throw up.  It took me YEARS before I could ever eat a scrambled egg again.  

I have a lot of work to get done for the office today. I am behind in getting meetings scheduled for 2026 and will need to truly focus on it these next few days.  I have 5 calendars that I need to make sure that the meetings are extended for 2026 and then I also have to get all the meetings I do from my own calendar (board meetings, preps, reviews, etc.) on the calendars for next year too.  It is a focused chore, and I still have to keep up on daily things.  But I am hoping if I focus on one calendar a day, I can get them all completed soon - but I do need to get the board meetings on the calendars.

I stopped and picked up sour cream last night so that I can make strawberry bread this weekend.  It really is good.  I called my daughter to see what she thought about it, but she hadn't tried it yet.  Need to use up the rest of the pumpkin and perhaps make pumpkin nut muffins - and of course my cranberry pumpkin nut bread.  Got to clean out my freezer and find a place to put them.  Also a task for this weekend.

Got distracted - I remembered I finished a book this morning that I have been reading in the mornings and had to jump on Goodreads to record it.  I'm at 40 of 50 books - it says I'm 4 ahead for the year... but I am not sure I can meet my goal again this year - I got so close last year - and didn't meet the goal.  I guess I need to get hubby to leave the tv off more and let me read more. :-)  Either that or I have too many books going at the same time and will finish them all about the same time.  I do enjoy reading. But I enjoy baking too - and that is where my time ends up going in the next couple of months - baking. Oh well - I can set the same goal for next year as well.

I John 2:1 (NIV)  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

Did you know that by Jesus' death He has become our advocate with our Heavenly Father?  Think about it - when we sin, the devil rushes to tell God all the bad stuff we have done.  And sometimes our list may be long.... BUT JESUS... as our Advocate, stands there with His Father and says to the devil, "Nope, My blood covered that one; NOT GUILTY."  And the more Satan goes on and on about how bad we are and how we deserve to go to hell with the devil..... Jesus says, "Father, My blood covered every one of those sins" - and there isn't anything the devil can do!  You can just imagine how frustrated he gets when Jesus tells him "You can't have them, My blood covers that sin" and as we confess each sin we commit, Jesus covers us with His blood.  We are redeemed by Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  So very grateful.  

The devil will also try to convince you how bad you have been.  He will try to make you feel so guilty about things you have done in the past.  He will remind you constantly of how horrible a person you are.... but when we have confessed those things to Jesus and sought Him for forgiveness, His blood covers us - from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet.  It doesn't mean we don't suffer the consequences of our past.... but it does mean our lives are covered by Jesus' blood and that we will reign with Him in heaven when our end comes.

That alone is reassuring, don't you think?  Something to think about - Jesus is our Advocate and will defend us.  He is our Friend.

Blessings!

Sometimes prayers get answered

 the way you want them to.  I just wrote a whole paragraph but decided to delete it.  It wasn't about me, or any of my family, but about an unmet friend whose family has persecuted her unmercifully and we have prayed - and the judge ruled in her favor today.  It doesn't change anything, and her sisters will again torment her another way.  But at least she knows that God is hearing prayers and answering on her behalf.

And sometimes we all need to know that, don't we?  I know I have prayed many prayers that God's answer seems to be 'Not Yet' - and as much as I don't like that answer, I know that His timing is best, even when I don't agree.  But there are other times that it proves that His timing is a lot better than mine.  Grateful He will overrule some of my requests and respond as He knows best. 

Work was busy again yesterday, but I did get a breather about 3PM.  The last hour wasn't as hectic as the other hours.  I've decided to keep working (for now) as long as I can be remote, and I am able to keep up on everything.  It is the only thing that is keeping my mind active.  Plus, I do like the income. :-)  It pays the bills, right.  It gives me play money.  And that's important. :-)  

I had a hankering to go visit my siblings this fall.  Unfortunately, with my little sister so jealous of time I spend with our older brother (whom she does not have a relationship with - but that is her own fault), that it causes me a great amount of stress.  She counts the days and nights (and probably the hours!) that I spend with him.  I've told her that I do have a relationship with him, and I will see him and spend time with him.  Her tongue and behavior finally broke the bank with him.  I keep forgiving and letting it go, but he reached his limit.  Of course he is in the same state; I am not, and don't know all the stuff. Nor do I want to. I have a relationship with all my siblings.  And I am grateful for that.  I get amused (and sometimes angry) that a couple of my siblings will state how close they were to mother, or to our older brother or older sister - who have all passed away.  And I don't believe them.  Why?  Because I talked with them (before they passed, duh), and they complained that they weren't visited, that this child or that one had done something that hurt them, how they don't even call..... and yet, they claim they were so close.  And I will leave that there. It stirs up hurt feelings in my heart.  They can believe they were the favorite; I don't care.  I know the truth.    Anyway - I really thought about going to visit, and of course we need to visit hubby's brother.... the airline cost didn't deter me.... but trying to work out my schedule in between board meetings and timecards.... it was hard finding time.... and I didn't want to take my work computer with me.  But as I thought about the stress and the behavior that comes from my visit... I decided against it.  I would rather they come visit me, when they can have me all to themselves.  

I sit here and my mind is empty of anything to write this morning.  The word 'heal' has come to mind and I looked up some scriptures.  But none speak to me.  Perhaps they will to you.

Psalm 147:3 (NKJV):  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 103:3 (NKJV):  Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.

Proverbs 16:34 (NKJV):  Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV):  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities,; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Jeremiah 3:22 (NKJV):  "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed, we do come to You, for You are the Lord our God."

and one of my very own life-verses...

Jeremiah 17:14 (NKJV):  Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed.  Save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.

Perhaps one of these will speak to you.  Jesus IS our Healer; of physical wounds, of emotional wounds, of those wounds that strike the heart.  Lean into Him and trust Him.  His timing, and His answers, are always good.  He heals the broken-hearted.  

Blessings!

Celebrating answers; still asking...

 I received a text yesterday from a friend for whose husband I have been praying for... our prayers have been answered and the spot on his pancreas is not cancer.  He still has to have the surgery to remove the spot, but praise God, it isn't cancerous.  Doing the happy dance. Hallelujah!

As I praised God for that report, I thought about some prayers I have been praying; some for a long time, some just a short time.  Still waiting on answers to those.  But answers don't come in my timetable; they come in His.  I can pray and cry out and think about these requests all I want.... but it is God who answers every request.  Sometimes the answer is no, and it breaks my heart.  Sometimes the asnwers come back yes,  and we celebrate, as in the first paragraph.  Sometimes we stay in limbo, waiting.  That is the hardest part.  The waiting.  The enemy wants us to have doubts; things don't go the way we planned. We want our answers and we want them NOW.  But God doesn't operate on our time table; and His timetable is better than ours.  The waiting is so hard, though.  So very hard.

We must not give up praying.  We must not let up and let go of our faith that God can do anything, but it is in His time.  When we wait upon Him and trust in Him for whatever the answer may be... we find our peace in Him.  

I admit, I struggle a lot - not in believing God and that He is in control - but that I begin to wonder at times if He hears me.  And yet, I know He hears me.  The enemy wants me to question myself and ask 'why would God answer my request.... I'm not good enough... I'm not living right.... I'm not praying hard enough... I'm not asking the right questions"... and so on.  The enemy is good at that.. and I'm not always strong enough to tell him to go away and leave me alone.  

Well, that was interesting.  I paused.... and my entire screen disappeared.  Think the devil doesn't want me praising God this morning?  Doesn't want me to share faith in Him?  Probably.

I still have several things that I pray about.  I start to keep a list and then I forget about the lists.  I let God call them to mind for what I need to pray about.  It's always good to keep a list of what specifically I am praying for - cause when He gives me the answer, I can record what God did.  But... I neglect my list ... and sometimes years later I find a list and start scanning it and see the things that God did annswer... and how sometimes, just sometimes, He did not answer the way I wanted Him to... and I can see that His way was better.  It always is.

I have decided to talk with our pastor about teaching a class perhaps in the fall.  We can start a small group here in our home - and surprisingly, hubby brought it up the other day.  Of course he tells me he wants 3 couples (with us making 8, which is a nice small group). And he wants to do the inviting.  Well, I don't really care... but.... I wonder if that is the way to do it.  We decided it would have to be on a Monday night.  Anyway... hubby and I need to have a more thorough discussion other than "I think we need to have a small group, 3 couples, and I choose who to invite, and you can lead the study."  I'm ok with teaching; you know I love to teach the Word.  I am leaning towards the workbooks I have done before; Experiencing God, Seeking Him, The Disciples' Prayer Life' ... and I ordered a new one called the 'Masterlife' which has 4 sections.  Similar to a discipleship class I did before, which I would really want to do, but I don't really care for the books they have now.  From a regular notebook they have reduced it to a size that I will definitely need glasses to use.  The layout isn't the same and well, I'm not sure they will go for it.  But I can also share that book when I talk with the pastors.  Teaching a class helps me to dive deeper into the Word and helps me to seek answers that may be asked.  It probably helps me because I spend more time in prayer and preparation than I do right now with just reading on my own.  If we can have the class at the church (currently, they have no classes at church), I would love to open up the class to everyone.  Discipleship is a class we all need, not just a selected few.  I'm not sure if I even need to discuss with the pastors; we can have a small group in our home and do whatever we want to do.  Maybe I can start with that.... another thing to be praying about and processing.  If I must choose, my first choice would be the Discipleship class that is one year long.  The second would be a tougher choice of those I mentioned above.  Each workbook is so informative of who God is and how to live for Him.  I'm ready to go through the books on my own again, because I know I need to be reminded (sometimes) of His faithfulness and love for me.

My heart would be full of joy if my children would chase after God.  How I pray for them to find Him and put Him first in their lives!  Their lives would never be the same.  

We had dinner with friends last night we hadn't seen since I think January.  It was good to catch up.  Of course she and I ended our evening talking about food and dieting.  Sigh.  A never-ending battle for some of us.  She is thinking of a gastric bypass.  I've seen it work on some people, and on others that it doesn't 'stick' because they like food too much.  I'm grateful I'm not that overweight... but.... ok... enough on THAT subject.  I have lunch scheduled today with another coworker/friend and need to doublecheck this morning to see if it is still 'on'.  Part of me wants to go; the other part doesn't want to clean up that much.  It's grubby Friday, right?   Hah - heard hubby in the shower a bit ago... he is starting to meet with the Friday morning Bible study group again... 4 men from our 'old' church.  They have moved to a restaurant closer to us.  Breakfast and Bible Study.  Maybe some day I will have that opportunity to do something like that.  Only I'd rather do it here at home.  Yeah... that's something I can think about!  Sigh.  Sometime.

Do you believe that God will speak to you?  That He will answer your prayers?  Remember the story of the child Samuel (read I Samuel)?  His mother, Hannah, prayed for a child, God gave her one, and she dedicated him to the Lord for all his life.  Around the age of 3, she took him to live with the priest Eli, and be raised in the house of the Lord.  

I Samuel 3:10 (NKJV):   "Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"  And Samuel answered, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears."

If you want to hear from God, first of all, do not doubt that you will hear from Him.  In the book of James it says that those who doubt shouldn't think they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:6-7).

The boy Samuel had the kind of simple trust that the Lord wants us to have.  Samuel heard someone call his name three times, and each time he was sure it was Eli.  The priest himself had not been hearing from God so he was slow to understand it was the Lord calling for Samuel.  When Eli told Samuel to go back and lie down and when he hears the Lord's voice again, to say "Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears (or is listening)."  Notice that Samuel's reaction wasn't 'you got to be kidding me!"  He had complete confidence that what Eli told him was the truth, and he did what the priest had told him to do.  As a result of complete trust, Smuel heard God's voice.

And we can too.  Are you wanting to hear God's voice?  Pray this prayer with me...

"Lord, I confess that I often do not fully trust You.  Show me those areas where I step out of the realm of faith and do it my way and do not obey what I know You want me to do.  Help me to do exactly what You want me to do.  Forgive me for the times I don't pray about everything becuase I'm not sure you will answer the way I want you to.  I don't have the faith you will really answer sometimes and I ask that You remove any doubt I have that You will not only answer, but that You will speak to me.  I want to hear from You, just like Samuel did."

What are you asking God for?  If you aren't sure He will answer... ask for more faith to believe He will.

Blessings!

I love it wihen my prayers get answered.

 I won't go into details about all the prayers that God has answered lately, but He is about doing His good work - and in his timing.  His timing.  In fact, my daughter and I were talking about that last night.  She sees in her own life how God, in His own time, has brought things about.  It was fun to be able to share  how God takes the circumstances of our past and uses them for His glory.  How when we put our dependence on Him, He will provide.  Not always when we think we need it or want it, but when He knows it is needed.  He is definitely a good, good, Father.

I was happily surprised yesterday when we received an email from the church we have decided to 'join'.  It was from the person we met with on Sunday, and she was following up.  Wow.  Two days later and we hear from someone!  She shared about the small groups, and even suggested one that would possibly be a fit for us.  And, it meets on Monday evenings so it doesn't interfere with anything else we might want to do.  I think the classes break for the summer, so will see if we will start now or just wait.  It was so nice to have a very short, but informative note.  I responded back a couple times and she immediately answered my questions.  It felt very welcoming.  Right now I am feeling we have made the right choice on which church to attend.  I just want to feel welcomed and that I belong.  In time, I would like to be involved in some way, but for now, I'm content to be fed God's Word and lean into Him and not be busy doing.

Proverbs 3:6:  "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

That is definitely a true proverb.  How many times do we do things OUR way, and how WE want them done - only to find out that we have failed?  I am sure I can't count the times I've done that.  And you probably can't either.  But, when I ask God to direct my path, to help me choose rightly, I may still choose the wrong thing, but He helps me to see what is right and good and right where He wants me.  And He will do that for you, too, if you will but seek His face and ask Him.

Money and success isn't all that it is cut out to be.  Yes, we need money in this world to survive - but how much does one need?  My trust in God to provide for us is greater than my job supplying money to give us those things.  I frequently - especially lately - think about how we can 'survive' without my income - and you know what?  We can.  We would just need to tighten the belt.  Don't go out to eat as much.  Make it more a treat versus being too lazy to cook.  And my freezer is full so there isn't an excuse of no food.  As much as I love to cook, some nights I just don't wanna!  In fact, I ought to pull something out of the freezer to thaw now so that we can have it for dinner tonight.  Or even better, put it in the crockpot and let it be cooking all day.  I think I have a recipe that I can use for that too.  And I know about where it is.  Or rather, where it should be!  

The joy in money and success is fleeting.  But when we put Jesus first, He will provide all that we need.  I firmly believe that.  The more I tithe and the more I help others, He supplies more in return.  It may not always be financially returns, but there is so much more.

I'm so looking forward to this three day weekend - and really, for no special reason.  We'll go to my daughter's after church Sunday for a cookout, bur Monday will be a lazy day, just as Saturday usually is.  Now if I can just kick my butt in gear and get some things done that I want to.  I get these great and crazy ideas of cleaning out my bookcases and straightening them up, or cleaning out my closet, or doing something productive..... and it gets shot down most of the time.  I want to do things by myself, I don't need someone telling me how to do something or what to do.  I did buy a small puzzle - 500 pieces - recently.  Perhaps I'll just work on it.  But then, my 'want to complete' list is starting to grow.  Oh what to do!

I've heard this 'saying' recently - or rather, the words - something about what is Good, what is Better, and what is Best.  Basically, from what I understand, we can do something good, but what could we do that would be better than good.  And if we want to do better than good, what would be the best?  I know I butchered that up... and don't know where that came from, other than thinking of what I'd like to do - so straightening things up would be good, but if I put in alphabetical order, would that be better?  Or if I wrote down every book by name and authored I have, would that be best?  Yipes - like any of that will happen!  I'll do good if I straighten!

And now I'm rambling so will hush.  My mind is going different directions this morning.  Another two cup coffee morning, perhaps.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your blessings, see what God has done.  Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your blessings and see what God has done.

Sometimes we are so disappointed or distraught with life that we miss seeing the blessings that God gives us.  I hear birds chirping outside my window this morning.  I can hear; it is a blessing.  I have coffee; it is a blessing.  I have a home, I have a bed. I have a job.  Each one is a blessing.

Count your blessings and see what God has done.

Take a moment and just think of all that God has provided for you.  You could lose it all in a wink of an eye.  Thank Him for all that you have - for it is a blessing.

Blessings!

God still answers prayers

Have you ever prayed for something and it didn't happen?  At least, it didn't happen the way you wanted it to.  It didn't happen WHEN you wanted it to.  Or it didn't happen AT ALL.  How do you feel about those times?  Did you earnestly seek God's favor and answer when you prayed for your request?  Or was it just a 'God will you do this?' prayer?

Sometimes it is in the seeking God that our answer is given.  Sometimes the subject of our prayer isn't answered because the timing isn't right.  Or perhaps it is just because we didn't really pray the prayer, it was more like 'I wish this would happen'.  It becomes a longing of our heart and of our own wants, and it hasn't really been a prayer at all.  In our own selfishness, it is something that we WANT, or perhaps even something that we NEED, and God is just waiting for us to truly ASK Him for it, longing to answer our request, but we never really put it into a sincere prayer.

Does that make sense to you?

And when God doesn't answer that request the way we want Him to, because we really haven't prayed about it; we really haven't sought Him for His answer to our request, we just 'put it out there', we get upset with God.  After all, doesn't His Word say that "He will give us the desires of our heart"?   We desired this, we TOLD God we wanted it, why didn't He give us the desire of our heart?

We get angry with Him.  We shut Him out of our lives because He didn't answer our request.  Dare we even list it as a prayer? A sincere prayer?  Yes, we may have sincerely prayed for someone to be healed; but did we see His hand in the situation at all if it wasn't answered?  Perhaps the healing not happening brought someone closer to God because of one's constant battering of Heaven's door for God to hear them.  Perhaps the death of someone we wanted to live was for someone else's benefit, that they would come to know Jesus through the life of the one departed?

Many good men and women have died, even though numerous prayers were offered on their behalf.  We all are going to die at some point (and some of us will be raised to life again in Christ) whether from old age or disease.  It always hurts to lose someone you love, regardless of the reason.  Lives taken too soon hurt deeply.  But it is all in God's Plan - we just don't see the bigger picture as He sees it.  

Do you trust God for the right answer?

I have a question for you.  If you should die today, what effect would it have on those who love you most?  Would they be heartbroken?  Did they have time to prepare?  Would they be relieved?  What would those we believe love us most - feel at that time?  Would they be grateful that you knew the Lord and that they have that opportunity to see you once again in Heaven?  Or would they be grieved that you would not be where they want you to be?  Where they hope you will be.

These thoughts come to me this morning because the reality is that death is close to each of us.  As I have aged, and friends close to me pass away from various things; accidents, disease, old age... that I think of where I am going when I die, and I wonder if those I love the most will be happy it's finally over or that they will miss making memories with me.  Sometimes memories are the things that get us through life.

I remember a week I spent with my mother the year before she died.  We made memories that week that I am grateful for.  Those memories have carried me through all these years when I think of her.  True, our lives together were not always the best; we were not always close.  But that year changed everything.  I got to see my mother in a new way as she shared things with me.

Funerals are occasions that I try to avoid if I can.  They rip my heart out, even when I am only an acquaintance of the person.  When they are a friend, it is so hard to tell them goodbye, even when I know I will see them again.   A funeral isn't for the dead; it is for those left behind.  An opportunity to say 'so long' or 'until we meet again'.  My tears at these 'events' are the cries of my heart.  Sometimes I have no control of my tears and even now, thinking about them, I find tears wanting to fall down my cheeks.  My heart is in anguish.

I know beyond a doubt that God still answers prayers.  Not just my prayers, but yours as well.  We may pray for a loved one to live; to find Jesus; to have provided for them the things we cannot provide.  We seek God for answers to our own questions.  Many times we feel there are no responses to our many requests.  Time goes by and we see no changes.  In fact, many times they may get worse.

But God still asnwers prayers.  The answer may be 'Yes'... it may be 'No'.... or it may be 'Not Now'.  Could the death of my mother influence one of my grandchildren who would remember her?  It's possible.  The death of my father, whom I barely knew before he passed, has influenced me greatly.  As I have asked questions about his life from my siblings and they have shared their memories, I want to make my daddy proud of me.  I found out this last trip back 'home' that daddy had a radio station and shared God's Word on it.  I didn't know that before. 

Which reminds me.  Just a side note.  My mother was never one to lavish praise on me.  She never made me feel she was proud of me.  When I received my license to be a minister, that my desire was to serve God in a church and be devoted totally to Him; she never said a word.  But when I was asked to be secretary (as we still called them at that time) of the state association of our non-denomination churches, she told me she was proud of me.  The irony of it all.  It still hurts that she was more proud of me serving as a secretary, then she was of my desire to serve God with all that I am.

I feel that has played a large part in my journey to serve.  I have other conflicts that haven't helped in the journey too, but I'm not dwelling on them.  It all comes down to one thing.  It all has been my choice.  I could have fought against the things that prevented me from going on staff at a church and got what I desired.... but would that have been right?  Believe me, I prayed earnestly and sincerely and passionately for what I truly believed God wanted for me.  I don't know why God didn't give me the answer I wanted.  My life would have been totally different than it is now, that is for sure.  But His direction is the only one that I need.  The only one that I want.  I may not have received my greatest desire or dream, but God knows my heart.  He knows what I desired.  He chose not to give it to me so that.......  I don't know.  Perhaps I have influenced someone to find Jesus in a way I couldn't have if I had been on staff somewhere.  I don't know.

But I know that God still answers prayers.

I'm doing a new Bible study - actually a couple of them - right now and it is on the Proverbs 31 woman.  Verse 10 states:  "A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies."  Verse 11 goes on to say "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value."  I want to be that woman.

But it also applies to men.  Think of it... "A man of noble character who can find?  He is worth far more than diamonds.   His wife has full confidence in him and lacks nothing of value."    I pray you want to be that man.

Take some time now to think about where you are in your life.  Are you believing that God still answers prayers - even when they are not the answers you seek?  It's not about you; it is not even about me; but I know that I know that I know.... 

In His time... He makes all things beautiful.  Lord, please show me every day, that in every way, You are still hearing and answering prayers.... in Your time.

Blessings.