I love the story I am going to share this Memorial Box Monday. Although it goes all the way back to 1975, it serves as a powerful reminder of what God can and will do –As I’ve mentioned briefly before, my dad was very abusive. He infact, took the word to a whole new level. Since I had accepted Christ as a little girl all I wanted to do was please the Lord. I was an obedient, respectful daughter, yet because of his hatred toward me, I walked on eggshells. I was scared to pieces of him and what he would do to me. Everything and anything would set him off and it would be horrible.
But we started to look – first on my shirt…..then he helped me look through my long, long hair. He and I both looked at the grass. How in the world could we find a teeny, tiny contact lens in this wind while standing in a yard surrounded by grass? We looked at our paint pan, the paint can and the brushes.
So I got down on my knees and started looking through the blades of grass. My boyfriend got down and started looking too. Of course, I knew that there was even the likelihood that I had stepped on it, but I asked the Lord to pull it out and make it whole….just please Lord return my contact back to me.
We continued searching for probably about 45 minutes. Slowly, carefully, moving aside each blade of grass, inch by inch. Nothing. I was not going to give up. (I’m guessing my boyfriend thought I was nuts.) It really did look impossible. The same wind that had whipped it out of my eye, was still blowing, so just how far could it have gone?? Really, anywhere!!
But I knew that I was serving a Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God, and I totally, completely believing that He was going to show me exactly where it was. I was not going to give up until He did! He could surely point me to exactly where it was. And if it had blown 500 feet away, He was more than capable of having a ministering angel pick that thing up and put it where I could find it!!
I am crying as I type. I grabbed that contact lens and started screaming and jumping up and down and squealing and rejoicing at what God had done!! I ran to my boyfriend, “LOOK! LOOK!! Do you see what God has done? Do you see where it was?? DO YOU SEE? He told me exactly where to look. God showed me where it was! Did you see that??”
My loving Heavenly Father understood completely what would be in store if I had come home without that contact and He had miraculously answered my prayer!! He had spoken so precisely – He had done it in such a dramatic way!! He had shown me where it was, many, many feet from where it had all started. It was an amazing time of faith-building for me. It was an amazing time of again, learning to recognize and hear His voice.
And I do believe He was testing my faith. He was wondering if I would give up or would I trust Him that He was going to show me. Would I give up after a few minutes? Would I give up after a half hour? Would I give up?
So now, let me ask……are there some things that you are about to give up on? Are there some things that look impossible? Is there a specific situation that you think is just too big? If it is too big humanly speaking – then it’s perfect!! Because our God is waaaay bigger!!! In fact, He is HUGE!!!!
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he existsand that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.Hebrews 11:6 NIV Is there a time that God has surprised you with a miracle? What story do you have to tell? What would go in your Memorial Box? Leave a story in the comments and it will count as an entry for our giveaway….drawing to be held WEDNESDAY!! If you are uncertain what a Memorial Box is, read about it here….
thank you! i really needed that encouragement!
xx
Yeah-I finally have a story ready for MONDAY!
Loved your story! God is so good!!!! Man o man!
Here is my story for this week:
We served in our church youth department for many years. After several years my husband began a college guys bible study as many of our youth had moved on and some were no longer connected with our church. It was a way to keep them connected to the Lord and provide accountability. It has been 3 years or so since the group no longer meets but we have stayed connected with the guys. One is actually now our son-in-law.
Well one of the young men, Brandon, invited us to his wedding last summer. He was marrying his long-time girlfriend whose relationship went all the way back to our youth-ministry years. Their wedding was lovely! It was such an honor to be witnesses as they made a convent with our Lord to be man-and-wife forever.
Well, the reception was a sit down affair where you were assigned tables. The couple has arranged the tables with photos of all the places they had been together. It was neat to see that God had taken this couple to Daytona Beach, Paris, Boston, many more… well we got sat at EUPHALA table. Euphala? Well from the photo I could not tell where in the world Euphala was. Was it an African village, who knew with all the places those two had been over the years? Well, later on in the evening someone else that sat with us made the connection-that was where their family had their lake house. OHH! We knew of the lake house and trips there but we had no idea the place was called Euphala, Alabama.
Well, fast forward and our neighbor/like-a-daughter Lauren was getting married in October I knew we would be traveling as they were getting married closer to where the couple attended college. Not being sure of where, I called Lauren to see about plans and explain how to book a block of rooms and I asked "where" and she said they were getting married at a mansion in Alababma about 1 1/2 hours from their school a little town you have probably never heard of:, Euphala… Wait! Did you say EUPHALA?
Immediately my hubby and I thought "do you think Brandon's dad would let us stay", I mean it is at least worth an "ask". The worst he could say is no, and we would understand. Well, through a few conversation it was decided that we could "barter" services and get to stay at the lake house for free. My hubby worked on their pool and we had a place to stay for the wedding. A 3 bedroom house on a lake! Amazing!
It was SO wonderful to have the whole family under one roof all married but Hunter. It was nice too to have a place to invite out-of-town family back to-for fellowship and catching up. We had a full kitchen so we ate for $20 per couple and saved big time! No hotel costs! It was amazing.
Watching the sun rise over Lake Euphala was amazing! Not one morning did I miss it thanks to promptings from God Spirit to "not miss it". Not one minute Lord!
So, I will have a tiny pine cone in my box to remind me of the pine cones by that lake side.
No, doubt God goes before us. Sets events into motion long before you ever have any clue. Such a beautiful tapestry HE creates. Glory to God!
Oh Linny, that my friend, is an amazing story of trust and perseverance! Wow!!! I literally could feel myself getting "tired" of searching blade by blade through that green grass! I love it!!
He still speaks! If anyone thinks He doesn't (or that He doesn't speak to you) ask Him . . . and then be still and listen, and watch with your eyes! He is faithful, and He desires for us to hear His voice!
Thank you Linny for another beautiful story of our heavenly Father's faithfulness to you, even in your pain. Oh how He loves you! Oh how He loves us!
Love you my friend~
Tina
P.S. I actually posted my MBM post on a Monday! Yay me! Okay, it was last weeks MBM post . . . but at least I finished it in time for this Monday! 😉
Wow Lin,
Your words are a wonderful balm to me this morning….we are waiting for something and the longer I wait, the harder the waiting gets, because it is similar to your situation (not abusive, but Very needful). THank you for your encouraging words to be perserverant!
C~
Linn, are you offering me another chance to enter the drawing??? Suhweet!!
I also have a hard contact lens story. I dropped mine in the bathroom while I was single and finances were tight. I was looking in my bathroom mirror (leaning over my sink with an open drain) trying to put it in my eye when it dropped. I prayed hard because I couldn't afford a new lens & I looked hard. I looked in my long hair, all over my sink, the surrounding floor, etc. I knew that God knew exactly where it was. I asked Him to protect my lens & to lead me to it. And He did!! I called a friend to come over and take apart the pipe/drain under the sink and sure enough – there it was!! Praise God!! (After LOTS & LOTS of cleaning/sterilizing, it was good as new!)
Oh I needed to read that. I needed some hope for this morning…it's been a rough few days, and I just needed that hope. Thank you so much for that post!
When this particular time has passed, I'm hoping to start a Memorial Box. I'll have lots and lots of things for it!
I always love following your blog.
now that is just way too cool!!! i LOVE these stories you share with us. what a wonderful reminder. thank you so much!! 🙂
What a beautiful story. I, too, saw immediately how God did not answer right away. He wanted to know if you would continue to look, having faith that He would show you where to find it.
I, too, came from an abusive home. I, too, had my first Miracle Story when I was in high school.
Blessings,
Laurel
mama of 13
OK Linn…I so needed to read your words this morning. I have cried buckets & thanked God for using you to remind us of His power and faithfulness. So today instead of sharing another story of God's faithfulness in the past, I'm sharing my belief in God's future answer for something we have prayed for for quite sometime now. We continue to believe God for healing for our son's eye, and look forward to celebrating His faithfulness and timing!
Linny,
I am not going to enter the drawing because a few weeks ago we were cleaning out our garage and came across an old little "memorial type box" and my daughter said "mom just throw it away it is old and dusty and you never use it", but I put it to the side and have thought several times it would make a good memorial box. So tonight I will get my husband to hang it up and I will begin to remember things visually with my family. We believe in a book of remembrance and practice it in different ways in our home. But here is my story. I love my pets. I have always valued my animals and think they are very good at showing us characteristics of God…like my loyal Golden Retriever. anywho. when our son (now 22) was seven we got him his first puppy. We didn't really know much about picking out dogs, like that the best are at the rescue shelter! We bought a cocker spaniel and the our son was so happy. One day several months later an aquaintence was visiting with their little boy was alone with the dog. And out of the blue the dog bite him several times. Not sure what happened. The mom felt her son provoked the dog, maybe a history? Anyway the dog could not be trusted, repeat offender, with kids after this and we made the sad decision to take him to the vet and put him to sleep. It was a very sad day and when I got home my broken hearted seven year old cried on my lap so we prayed together asking God to be with our little dog Samuel. Right as I said Amen the vet called me and said, "hey this is such a nice dog and I know some people who raise cocker spaniels and have no children. Can I give your dog to them?" Oh what a relief. And he was a happy puppy forever after. And then for another day was the new dog God sent our way. Great guy, from the pound that we still talk of frequently today! Thank you for your faithful blog.
Jan
I have been waiting since thursday to be able to tell you my memorial box story. a few months back my husband and I noticed a vine growing behind our house. We dont use our backyard at all. Its not really even a yard. Its almost all a retention pond surrounded by weeds. We have a small deck that we spend some time on, but not out in the weeds. So, awhile back I through some old cantaloupe pieces out there for the animals. We figured it was a melon vine growing. We kept watching it grow very long with a few pretty flowers on it. A tarp had blown on part of the vine, but we just left it there because we hardly left the deck. The other day my daughter and I were on the deck watering some plants. I looked at the vine, now withering away and saw something orange sticking out from under the tarp. I walked down there and there was a huge pumpkin!! I couldnt believe it. I kept thinking of when there would ever be pumkin seeds down there. The only thing I could think of was when we carved our pumpkin last october. My husband and I were in awe over how much God cares about us. We were going to buy a pumpkin like we do every year. But God knows we are trying to save money to build a house and He provided our very own pumpkin. And its beautiful. The size of a basketball and perfectly round. I just think its so cool because if we had seen it starting to grow then we would have fertilized it and taken care of it. Then God would not have gotten all the glory. So God grew us a pumpkin from nothing and just at the right time of year. Thank you Lord for thinking of my family.
CM
That is nothing short of a miracle! Every time I hear another God story…I stand amazed over and over again!
What an awesome story of faith and trust!
After starting a small orphanage last year, I came home and was running it long distance, by email. Sometimes it was frustrating, to say the least, trying to communicate and get things done through the African people I was working with. I said out loud, "Lord, if I even had just an American high school girl there, she could get this done!" And within weeks he sent an American high school girl who wanted to work a year at the orphanage. As it turned out, she wasn't quite ready for the challenge, and so God sent an American college-age girl, who is now living at the orphanage and doing a WONDERFUL job, blessing the kids, the workers, and me. I just talked with her this morning and realized again what a blessing straight from God she is, and how much she is doing on behalf of the orphanage that requires someone in-country.
When I set my expectations low and asked for an high schoo girl, I recognized it was a miracle from Him when she appeared out of nowhere. But I also learned not to ask too small, because He is the God of the universe, so I can ask for whatever it is I think I really need. I think He loves showing His power on our behalf in the small (but amazing) miracles like finding a contact lens, but I think He also wants us to ask for BIG, God-sized miracles. So now – I am asking Him to build us an orphanage of our own in Uganda. Ready and waiting to see the next BIG miracle, because I know I serve a BIG God!
A beautiful story. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the reminder!
First Linny my heart breaks when I read how hard your childhood was but you truly are an inspirational person and I want so badly to learn how to recogize that it is HIS voice I am hearing….
Heres my miracle….(I will try to make it as short as possible)
Back in November 1993 after having gone thru really hard core infertility treatment for almost 5 years , and after not truly putting it all in God's hands only really trusting in my doctor to get the job done. After 23 babies were born to friends and family in that time. As one would think yes I had lost all faith and truly felt like I was being punished for something. Then one day after a week of two friends giving birth to their second and third child, I was on the phone with my cousin Val for about an hour and a half sobbing that I just couldn't do it anymore and I finally said the words, "Its all up to God" because I dont have any fight left in me. And on that very day 3 hours later that I had apparently done what HE was waiting for me to do was the day that out of the blue we got the call about our daughter who is now 16, and the love of my life !!!!! It was not supposed to happen that easy and yet after asking for his help within hours he answered every prayer that I had ever prayed. And I could not have given birth to a child more ME!!! She is mine , every single piece of her. That is the miracle God gave me. And since then I have learned to trust in him with EVERYTHING!!!
Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6
Love and blessings, Kristy
Thanks for sharing your faith stories. I remember hearing a guy in college sharing his, and one of my peers wanting to write them down. I thought – "I don't want his faith stories. I want my own."
So here is one of my faith stories from my college days: I went to a private Christian college because I thought God might be calling me into ministry. With two kids in college and two more on the way there, my parents could only help a little. My parents challenged me to graduate debt free so I would be free to do ministry and lay out my needs before the Lord like Gideon did, so I knelt before God with my application letter and prayed. There were a LOT of semesters when I was a couple thousand dollars short on my school bill and wouldn't be able to sit for finals in a few weeks, and I would be STRESSED OUT! This was despite working 2 and 3 jobs and taking a full load of classes and doing student ministries during the school year, and working 60+ hour weeks and volunteering while I was home during breaks. Then I would give it over to God, even to the point of being willing to go home and pay off the semester and not come back if I had to. And every time God provided. I don't even remember how all the time. I do remember that my last semester I was using graduation money and paychecks to pay down my bill. Then I got a letter in the mail from the Comptroller (who also happened to be the treasurer at my local church and knew that I had been tithing and putting EVERY other penny directly onto my school bill). He had gotten me a couple of scholarships to pay off the rest of my bill so I could graduate. When I paid my last paycheck I kept the stub. My account was paid in full. Close to $50K had passed through my hands in 4 years and I was debt free. I have that little receipt in our Memorial box to remind me what God can do. When my first church wanted to build a new building for $100, and wanted to take out a loan I was flabbergasted. I couldn't believe that we couldn't work hard and save the money and build it debt free. Only one other person had the faith to believe that God could do that. I knew if he could do half that for me in 4 years, he could do way more than that with our whole congregation. I am convinced that we miss blessings God has for us when we forget/haven't learned what He can do.
I love that story —
Something else I would put in our memorial box would be- a Wesley Woods glass mug. My life has forever been changed while at camp. This was the camp I went to in Jr. High which influenced so powerfully my whole walk with Christ- REALLY living out being a Christian for me was decided at camp. Of course the other reason would be a constant reminder of what I like to call one of God's funny – yet serious moments. You see if you would have told me that I would meet a young man on summer staff- from England- and you would get married…..yep, I would have laughed in your face! Yet, God used this sacred place set aside for 1,000's each year to retreat, reflect, renew their lives in Christ (which I had done previously) to also introduce me to my future husband- from England. It blows my mind that the husband God chose for me was from a different country! I just sit and think about the fact that here is someone who grew up soo far away from my world, and we were meant to be married and have a beautiful family. A testimony to God's humor, love, and faithfulness to us 🙂 Oh yeah the glass mug also was a gift given at our Christmas in July party we had that summer we met 🙂
Just last week–I was beginning to loose hope. I won't go into all the details, but…. We are expecting LOA for child #5 this week, and had asked for PA on child #6 almost 2 months ago. It took 2 months, but God made CCAA give us PA for #6, before we even have #5! I quoted the same verse in my blog post announcing our new son!
I am amazed at your faithfulness and never fail to leave your blog blessed.
Today we didn't pass our second court date and they closed our case b/c the mom didn't show up. Honestly I don't know what that means. We got his referral 14 months ago and he is my son whom I love and to think I might not ever get him, words can't describe that pain. Its been a very sad day, but I choose to look up to my Heavenly Father, who rules and reigns and can work miraculously on our behalf. I need to persevere and just rest. Its just hard when you can't see the end of the road and you don't know how it is all going to turn out, but my Father knows! This story blessed my heart. Thanks for the encouragement.
What a fantastic story Linny! Thank you! You are amazing and you keep on inspiring me to be more faithful!
WOW! What a precious story! Mondays are now days I look forward to so that I can read these stories of God's miraculous ways!
I am not giving up on the baby situation – still praying boldly! I will keep you posted!
blessings! Angie
Linn,
This was just the post I needed to read today. Thank you for faithfully sharing these stories. Just today my husband and I were adding up how much money we still need to complete our current adoption and I was starting to panic and have some doubt that we were going to have the money when we need it. Your post spoke volumes to me about trusting God in everything. We've had all the money we have needed so far and God knows how much more we need. Maybe He is just waiting to see if we really are going to trust Him with this matter. I need to stop worrying and get on my knees in prayer to my heavenly Father.
Hugs,
Robin
Our Memorial Box Monday might have a picture of our sweet little friend Jie Sue in it.
When we were still waiting to adopt before we found Philip on the special needs list, I must have looked at hundreds of pictures of the beautiful children on our agency's special needs list. In October of 2007 I saw a picture of this precious little girl. I wondered and wondered if she might be our daughter. My husband and I were almost sure she might be when we headed out to our Bible study one night. Our older son, Ted, was home from college and went with us.
We took this little girl's picture and had our small group pray that God would help us know if this was our daughter or not. On the way home from that gathering, Ted suddenly said, "Mom, maybe this little girl isn't our Sophie (the name we had already chosen). Maybe we are just supposed to pray for a family for her." So that is what we did as we drove home and into the evening.
The next morning, I looked at the list and found that she had been moved from "needs a family" to the list entitled "a family reviewing her file."
A couple of months went by, and by this time I was already reading adoption blogs nightly. One night I found a family's blog – the family waiting to adopt that particular little girl! I contacted her mom through the blog, and we even exchanged phone numbers. This was January of 2008. They had locked this little girl in sometime before Christmas. Chasity, the mom, said they would begin praying for us to find our child. We continued to pray for them.
Well, their process slowed WAY down, and when we found Philip, our process SPEEDED up! As impossible as it seemed, we traveled together in the same travel group to China to receive our children in June 2008! That same little girl we had prayed for way back in October 2007 is now a cherished and precious friend for life! We just love her and her family like they are family!
For nothing is impossible with God.
Janet, Kevin, Ted, Philip, and waiting for our TA now for our ELi
We just received our LOA today!
Linn
I feel your post today was for me. Two years ago the Lord gave me a promise that we would adopt; and that through our adoption He would heal my husband of rheumatoid arthritis and heal the herniated disc in my back. (Isaiah 58:6-12) He gave me a vision of a little boy that I believe is our son. He also gave me several Bible verses that say to wait on the Lord. During the last two long years, I have prayed constantly that He would move mountains and allow us to go forth. I don't know why He has us waiting so long, but I know we can't go ahead of Him. I have been tempted so many times to give up.
I have to keep having faith that in His perfect timing He will "part the grass" and show us where our son is. He always keeps His promises; I just have to hold fast. (Hebrews 10:23)
Thank you for encouraging words!
Thank you for posting this story. My husband and I are currently waiting for our miracle. You see, he was airlifted last Monday night from our little local hospital to a regional on with H1N1 virus and bacterial pneumonia. He has been on life support for 7 days. It has been hard, but as you say, our God is a big God. He is drawing his people together from around the globe to pray for my husband. I know he is going to bring me through the impossible. I don't know what I will use to represent this in a memorial box, but for some reason, he has me picking up leaves on my walks around the grounds of the hospital. I'm still waiting for him to show me the significance, but I know it is there and he will show it to me in his time. My husband has finally had a day with no going backwards on his condition, God is holding us in the palm of his hand and that is enough. 🙂
Having a good cry right now. I really needed this…it is so timely. God's perfect timing. Thank you Linny for sharing this. Seriously, I think it might have been just for me. 😉
The Lord is dealing with me on giving up…and persevering…and trusting.
SO THANK YOU LORD for this post that you put on Linny's heart.
I love Jesus so much!!!!!! He is such an intimate Savior…and I love how He uses my bloggy friends to encourage me.
I hope your day today is SUPER DUPER blessed!
Love,
Laine
I am completely dumbfounded!
That rocks!
Man is God simply amazing or what?!
What an amazing story Linny! It pains me to think of what you must have gone through as a child, yet blesses me beyond belief to see what God did with that- you are truly blessing to me!
I haven't entered the drawing because I honestly could not think of what I would put in my Memorial Box. I so want to start one though! I guess I'm just not good with picking stuff to symbolize those oh-so-important moments in my life when God picked us up. In a nutshell (and this is my entry) I would definitely pick something to symbolize the AMAZING things God has done in our marriage. We shouldn't have made it. We've gone through things that break tons of couples up every day. But God pulled us through, and not just in a little way. He gave us a passion for each other that is so beautiful, and so love-filled. Maybe one day I may be able to tell the story, but for now I will settle for putting it in the Memorial Box. 😉
I love your blog and read it as often as I can. This is my first time commenting. Our family is in need of a BIG miracle. We are in the process of our second adoption from China (both special needs). This time however, we have hit a major brick wall with USCIS. I wish I could go into details but our case is still "pending". I received the terrible news two days after my husband left for China on a mission trip. I was alone with my three kids and all I could do was cry and pray for my little 8 year old daughter in China. I admit, at times it was too much to take and I would cry out asking "why Lord"?? Slowly, He has revealed He is still in control and to keep moving along with the necessary steps. I can feel him guiding me in the right direction with contacts and resources. Your post today gave me so much peace! I cried as I read it and thanked God for sending me to your blog. You inspire me to keep looking to HIM and not give up. Thank you Linny!
Many blessings!
Amy
http://myfourblessings.blogspot.com
Linny,
What a blessings from God when I read your post! I love when God places thoughts on another's heart to share with someone else. I was down this day and in many ways I still am, BUT thanks be to our GOD who is the faithful GOD keeping HIS covenant of love to a thousand generations to those who love HIM and keep HIS commands! Thank you for reminding that this mountain in human terms is IMPOSSIBLE, but with our GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! I was about to give up on my dream, but I know that I am to continue. Someday I will tell you the story all the way through. Thank you Linny for being used as a vessel for God! Kim
This is my first time learning about "Memorial Box Monday" and the awesome significance behind it. God is so so good, in the easy times, but seems seems even more so in the dark times.
Thank you for such encouragement. May I start an MBM on my blog?
Here is my entry…not exactly a long term memory…but none the less it was a huge lesson in faith for me, taught by my 6 year old daughter. You'd think, by now, and after seeing how God has provided this year alone, I'd be oozing with gleaming faith. Well, I just keep pressing on…
So here's my story:
Where, oh where can I go to get some?
I present 3 'subjects'. An old Subaru, a caterpillar and my 6 year old daughter, Olivia.
Olivia picked up the little brown caterpillar in the park today. She has this crazy knack for finding caterpillars.
If anyone ever doubts God's goodness, his faithfulness and his ability to answer prayer, this is for you (and me). I received quite an education between these three subjects last Thursday night in a parking lot of the mall, as Olivia and I were enjoying some 'girl time.'
Not wanting to leave her new found caterpillar in the care of her loving, albeit bug-squeezing brother, she took it with. We drove the Subaru.
She fell asleep, and wouldn't ya know, the caterpillar escaped. We arrived at the mall to find an empty jar. Mind you, it's already dark, the interior lights are less than adequate, casting a shadow on everything. Oh my. My very first thought, was "at least it won't stink when it dies. We'll find it next time we vacuum." Now, honestly, what a terrible and foolish thought.
On the other hand, Olivia's first thought was to pray. She did not react, but rather chose to act. Now in all fairness, I really was the one who taught her to stop and pray before freaking out. However, it's quite obvious I had serious lapse of godly attitude, good judgment, character…you name it.
So, immediately, before another move was made, we prayed and asked for help to find her little beloved caterpillar. We looked some more, but absolutely could not see in such dim and shadowy light. Olivia wanted to leave the lid off the jar, just in case the caterpillar wanted to crawl back in for a bite to eat. How very thoughtful for her to think the caterpillar might get hungry.
With that, we headed into the store. I was positive we wouldn't see that fuzzy caterpillar again. After all how many places could it go? Just about any nook and cranny it wanted to! However, Olivia knew we'd find it. She had faith that the God who created the universe, would answer her prayer.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1
2 hours later, we were done and headed back out to the car. I unlocked, and opened the door to find, what else, but a fuzzy brown caterpillar sticking to the seat! Not only that, but it was where we ABSOLUTELY could not miss it!
I nearly wet my pants and my heart broke with shame. Olivia, was ecstatic, as we captured the caterpillar, once again.
I confessed to her that I didn't think we'd see the caterpillar again. She then plainly looked at me and said, "I knew he'd be here mom. God answers prayer."
Where is my pure heart? Where is my faith? Sometimes, too often, it is lies buried beneath the drama and bustle of *another* day of home schooling, bills, commitments, and so on.
God is so much bigger than that, and used a beat up Subaru, a brown caterpillar and my sweet, strong willed daughter to show me, it's about Him. His provision, His grace, His love for His children. Loving them in the big…as to send His son to die on the cross for our sin…and in the little, like rescuing a caterpillar while growing the faith of this mom, and her daughter.
"And all these, whatsoever, ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matt 21:22
She asked, she believed, and she got!
It always amazes me how God chooses to show himself mighty and faithful to us. Wow!
We were waiting to see where God would direct us in ministry a year ago. God brought us to a small Albertan town. As we said yes to a call at our 'now church', we realized that we had to find a home to live in. We went house shopping for one day, and were able to look at a number of homes. We proceeded to put an offer on a home the next morning. But, just before we were all packed into the car, the realtor ran out of the building to inform us that the house had already been sold. With a 1/2 day to still look for a home, we looked at a few more options. We found a house that we could afford, that fit our large family, and that is just so much more 'perfect' than the house we had originally placed the offer on. God provided for our needs over and above and we were able to head home, pack up our stuff and move within the week to our 'now location'. Wow! God's timing couldn't have been more perfect.
Thank you so much for posting MBM. It never fails that my head hits the pillow, and my stomach clenches up with anxiety – and oh how everything seems so much worse at night! And I know it's all going to be ok, but I wonder how much stuff I'm going to have to sacrifice and I don't want to! And yet, I know nothing is impossible for God. Your blog is challenging my faith so much. And on nights like this, it calms me so to read through all these posts of how God has worked in the lives of His people! He loves us!
God has done many things for me over the years – some I have forgotten about or they've bccome hazy in my memory. Your contact story reminded me of a story from my college days. I was an RA and we were taken out late at night to a campground for taining. (This was college! crazy times!) So we are in this field with just car headlights for light. It was cold and there was a dew or frost on the ground. As we played the team-building game, someone yelled out that they'd lost a contact. Now it's dark, there are 15 or 20 of us running around on this wet/glistening grass and someone loses a contact. But they couldn't see and we were camping there for the night! It wasn't like they could run home and get another pair. So we began searching in the darkness. I can't remember how long we searched – it doesn't seem like it was too long. But with soft contacts, they dry up fast and I was worried it would dry out and crack. I could remember times when as a child, myself or my brother would lose something. My mom would have us stop and pray. And God would inevitably show us where the item was. So I stopped everyone and told them we needed to pray. I was nervous, but had this strange boldness too. I was kneeling down in the grass and prayed outloud asking God to show us where that contact was – He knew!! He could show us if He chose to. As I opened my eyes, I felt like I should look at the ground to the right of me. I glanced over to my right area in front of me and saw something glistening. Now all the grass was glistening from the dew/frost/whatever it was, but I reached down and it was the contact! It was amazing! God is so good!
I even hesitated to put this story on b/c it is similar to yours, but it just keeps nibbling at me to write it so here it is.
Thanks for reminding me of ways God has worked in my life and for sharing how He has worked in the lives of others. It is such an encouragement. I'm going to paste this on my blog (even thought it's almost Wednesday!) and maybe others will remember something God has done for them.
Thank you for being faithful.
I love to come back throughout the week and read the stories in comments! So neat!
Thank you!
Here is our miracle story…
We are currently in process of adopting 3 beautiful boys from Haiti. We have been there twice this year, the second time was an emergency visit in June because their health was so poor and we were asked to bring them Pedia Sure and peanut butter. This trip cost us our savings plus and left us in a major financial crisis. Then, we are handed another chance to go down in November to spend 4 days with them, 4 glorious days hanging out with our boys. BUT… we have NO money, none and I could not understand why God would give us this opportunity but NOT want us to see our boys and bring down more supplies. I was frustrated with Him beyond words. To top it off we have a close set of friends who could finance our trip AND our adoption but do not feel LED to do so. I was angry at that and coveting them big time. After much prayer and counsel I came to my husband one day 2 weeks ago and said, "Ya know honey, I am totally at peace with this. Whatever God has in store I accept and I am ok with friend x not helping us out." Skip to the next day when said friend hands me a box full of cold hard cash, enough to fund our entire trip. The very day after I give up FULLY to God He sees fit to have this happen. The incredible thing is the cash was not even from said friend it was from a friend of hers we do not even know. Our friend had told her our story in passing and she in turn felt called to give us a donation. AND there is more…the check from her was in our friends mailbox all weekend, we were with her ALL weekend but she never checked her mail so she did not discover this money until the very day I announced I was at peace. God is awesome!!!! We are going to see our boys in 3 weeks BECAUSE GOD IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!! I will wait upon my Lord!
About a year ago, I was in the den reading blogs and watching TV. Home alone as usual with my doggy baby, Sadie Kate. She was laying in the next room on the kitchen tile. Then I heard this loud boom. I ran to the kitchen and foyer and looked everywhere. Nothing. Not a thing was out of place. Then I turn around and all of a sudden, Sadie starts seizing. Had that mysterious boom not happened one min earlier, I would have never known about her seizure. She would have been alone. Instead, I was able to hold her and keep her from choking and lover her and tell her it would be OK for an hour. If I had a Memorial Box, I would have one of those cartoon style fonts reading "boom" on a piece of paper. I have no doubt God did that to put us together in that moment and I am still so grateful!
Wow, what a beautiful story. I ready to my kids at bedtime, and they were about as quiet as 5 little mice. One of my boys, the one I'm homeschooling, and while in the middle of our schoolday said "that was a cool story last night".
Love, Barb