God still answers prayer!

I don't know about you, but I've often read missionary stories with wonder as they tell of specific answers to their prayer. At times I finish reading a book and think how wonderful it would to be that missionary. Their faith in God always seems much stronger than mine will ever be, and they always seem to receive such amazing answers to their prayers. I often doubt that I could ever be like them.

As these thoughts swirl around in my head, the Holy Spirit frequently, yet gently guides my thoughts in another direction...I may never actually be like them by experiencing the same adventures in their life of faith. I may never have the same prayer requests they have, but I do bow before the SAME God. Even though my requests may seem small and insignificant compared to the great victories read about in missionary stories, my God receives just as much glory in answering my prayers as He did in answering their prayers because both of us are depending on Him.

So as I share these simple answers to prayer, glorify God with me and see what simple requests you can bring before Him to receive your own answers.

If the shoe fits...

My husband has been in need of black dress shoes for a long time. I don't even know how long...the only way I found out was by asking him why he wasn't wearing his black suit to church. He then finally showed me the problem with his shoes. (Obviously a big male/female difference...he just stops wearing something to solve the problem, I on the other hand would be frantically looking for new shoes.) Church shoes can be on the expensive side of things, so I started praying right away for some new shoes for my husband. This was sometime during the summer months. I didn't feel like it was really a "need" because he has brown shoes and a brown suit that he was still able to wear. Off and on I would price shoes in the store to see if they would fit in our budget. Off and on I would pray for the shoes. Several Mondays ago, the Lord answered! I hadn't even thought about it for sometime. I was visiting a thrift store with a pastor's wife we were spending the week with. It was half price Monday!! I had a few things in mind to look for while there, but shoes were not one of them. It was so hot and crowded in there too that I really wasn't focused very well on getting a "good deal." Well, while allowing her to have time to shop I scanned the store over a few times. I really just found myself stuck in the men's aisle with people on either side of me. While waiting to get out, I saw men's black shoes right in front of me in excellent condition. I picked them up with little faith that they would be my husband's size, but they were! And they fit him too! What a great reminder that God hears our prayers and remembers them, even when we may have forgotten.

Our old truck and hospital bills

At the beginning of our journey this fall, I was hospitalized overnight for what turned out to be the flu. Since then we have been praying that God would specifically provide for whatever bills we would receive. Upon returning home from our travels, there were several bills in the mail but also a surprise check! Somehow I must have overpaid one of our doctors last year and they were sending me a check for the discrepancy. The following Sunday we learned that we were finally able to sell Jonathan's faithful but now old and dead truck. We never even imagined we would get paid for it. We thought we would have to pay someone to take it away :-) Those two blessings combined were enough to cover the costs of the pressing doctor bills at the time. Another great encouragement!!

I just wanted to end with a verse that I have been bringing before the Lord often in my prayers. "And my God SHALL SUPPLY all your need according to His RICHES in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19