WAIT.....On the Lord.

I have been giving stories of immediate answers to prayers. I have been thinking lately about prayers that take some time to be seen. Most recently my wife was sick. Not one to complain, I had noticed her holding her mid section frequently. She was having pains and wasn't saying anything. One night laying in bed I prayed with her like I did with my boy when he was in the hospital. The next morning I asked how she felt. She said about the same then she expressed to me that she didn't want my view of God to change because He didn't heal her right away. We'll it didn't, but it does make one wonder why it works one time and not the next. Nevertheless I continued to pray for her. She finally decided she needed to see a doctor. Now this is where God's providence and God's timing come in together. My wife worked for her dad when we first met up until she was pregnant with the twins.....14 years ago. So she decides to call her dad and have him set something up with his doctor on her behalf. After being checked out and blood work done and this test and that test, it was determined that she was having really bad heart burn and maybe developing a gall stone. Now my wife doesn't work and she doesn't have insurance so all of this is coming in with single income with three kids. At the end of the doctors visit the doctor said "haven't you worked on my roof before?" She said yes that she used to work with her dad doing carpentry and roofing. When asked how much she owed he said NOTHING and gave her a supply of medication that was free samples. That was two months ago and she has been doing fine for a while now. Praise God for his provisions. God influences the minds of people and convicts hearts to accomplish His will. Look forward to some more stories of God touching the hearts of people to provide for HIS children!!!

Thinking About Family

This time of year I can't help but think about my family. Thanksgiving just past and Christmas is only eight days away. I'm reflecting and thanking God for my many blessings. Circumstances hitting close to home with people loosing loved ones and children being hospitalized making me realize how blessed we truly are just to have good health. That brings me to a memory of something that happened not too long ago. The boys were staying with their Granny and Pa when we get a call saying Timothy (our youngest boy) had broken out in a rash and was vomiting. Thinking allergic reaction, we said rush him to the emergency room. We met them there and he was swelling and very pale now. After a couple of hours in the emergency room and some blood work nothing was found. We had the O.K. to go home as soon as he would pee. Another hour or so passed and still no pee. The nurse concluded that he was dehydrated so in goes another big bag of fluid. After two bags of fluid and still no pee his feet begin to swell really big. He couldn't walk on them they hurt so bad. I couldn't blame him, they looked like two tomatoes that were about to split. So now we're informed that his kidneys weren't working and would have to go to Wake Med. Scared??? yeah!!! Then it hits me. I felt a total loss of control. I'd done all I could do.......except pray. One of them "you idiot" moments. I laid my hand on his forehead and poured my heart out to God. I remembered asking Him to let Timothy pee before he went to Wake Med. I must say that is the only time I have ever prayed for pee!! I felt a real peace about it and as we were waiting for the ambulance to transport him I told my wife he was going to pee before the ambulance got there. Well Timothy was asleep this whole time  because it was after midnight. When the ambulance arrived 20 minutes later Timothy had wet the bed......A LOT! We went on to Wake Med for observation and more tests (they're awesome with kids by the way) . Nothing was ever found to be the cause of his episodes, but I know what it was. It was a lesson for me at Timothy's expense. Now I try to remember Matthew 21:22 FIRST instead of making prayer a last resort. Help us Lord to think of you first in everything we do and say. Thank you Lord for your provision and protection.

God glorifies Himself.......We just have to tell it!

I've been trying to remember some of the better stories of answered prayer in my life. I was thinking about former pastors and former churches lately and remembered an older man that I looked up to. I'm not going to use names so we'll call him Mr. E. Mr. E's wife was very sick. As I recall she had a brain tumor. Our pastor at the time was looked to for guidance. Our pastor reminded him of the verse that says "this kind come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting". So they prayed together for a little more than an hour. Meanwhile while she was in the hospital Mr. E continued to fast and pray with much tears and supplication to God. When the doctors went in and did the pre operational check up the tumor was nowhere to be found. She lived for several more years after that before succumbing to cancer. They're both gone on to be with the Lord since then but I'll never forget what God did to my faith through Mr. E and his wife. Thank you Lord for the time we have to spend with our families and the extra years we're allowed by your grace and mercy.

Open Comments Section

I went in and changed some settings. You should now be able to post without having to sign up as a google account user. Just click the "comments" word at the bottom of any post to leave your story.

God's Providence

Today I really feel like talking about the providence of God. Those sometimes unanswered prayers we see as punishments or "why me moments". First let me say as a Christian I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. All things work together for good for those that love God. One personal story that comes to mind refers to my first post. That summer night that I went to church to meet girls and ended up getting saved. Well the girl I was supposedly set up with won't interested which was ok. However, the girl my best friend was interested in was seeing someone at that time so we both struck out in the girl department. Little did I know that just two short years later would I marry one of those girls......the one my best friend had his eye on. NO I didn't steal her away from him and have always considered him a very good friend ever since. So that's how I met my wife. Now, while we were dating, one night I decided to show off a little and spin some wheels. Half a mile down the road blue lights appear out of nowhere. So sitting there in that parking lot of the fish market on 301 I was feeling rather put in my place. Highly embarrassed I began the "why me" portion of the pity party. Ticket in hand headed down Hwy 301 I came to an intersection where a wreck had just occurred. No doubt the "why me" turned into thank you Lord for your protection. A lot of times we fail to see God working in our everyday lives. Take time this day to look for God working out His plan through. Jeremiah  29:11-12

The Small Stuff

Well, from here on out the accounts of my prayers will be less important somewhat. Now by "less important" I mean from a life altering aspect. All answered prayer is important. Not only for the purpose of  proving that the God of creation keeps his word, but it strengthens our faith. It's also good to note that from here on out there will also be some stories of God's providence. Just like in the book of Esther the word God or Jesus or Lord was never mentioned, but you can clearly see his hand at work. He truly is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. I can't keep up with what I have to do on a day to day basis, but God keeps up with all of us.....everyday....nonstop...... at the same time. NOW.... with all that being said, as busy as God is, He wants you to pray without ceasing. Prayer was mentioned 95 times in the New Testament alone!! Have you ever lived with someone you didn't talk to? Are you closest to the people you talk to the most or not at all? Have you ever loved someone you have never talked to? Your relationship with God is no different. Prayer is just talking to God. That's how you grow to love the Lord.....through prayer. I guess I've rambled enough for one post. I just wanted to lay some ground work to hopefully honor God and edify His Church. Until next time. Matthew 14:27

Prayer #2

The second most remembered and referenced of my answered prayers is about my twin boys. It was the end of October in 1999 and Michelle had just given birth to our 4lb. twin boys. We were both only 22 years old and been married for only a year and a half. Our twin boys were born with many scary moments. They were so small  I could put my wedding ring over their hand and onto their wrist.  With them being so small and fragile there were many obstacles. Michelle's final hours of labor the doctors were worried about their heart rates (having trouble finding them from time to time). After giving birth to twins by C-section my still newlywed bride needed constant attention. Meanwhile my two new babies were in prenatal intensive care having trouble with their oxygen content and breathing. They wore these oxygen tents over their heads at all times. They were only allowed out long enough to get fed. After a week at the hospital my wife was physically O.K. and ready to go home but neither of us wanted to leave our boys. It was a Friday morning when the doctors came in and let us know that if nothing changed by noon that they would transport our boys to wake med. My wife and I took the news hard as any new parent would. I went downstairs to get her and I a drink and to get out for a little. Standing outside Johnston Memorial Hospital's old entrance facing Hwy 301 I began to plead with God. I hadn't been that serious with God since I was saved. I remember standing next to those big concrete pillars by the automatic entry door and praying and crying. I don't remember much about the prayer except I asked God to take Nick and Noah off the oxygen before 12pm. I was very specific with what was on my heart and after the prayer I felt a peace that I hadn't felt since the day I was saved. I didn't mention my prayer to Michelle when returning with the drinks. The nurses came to our room to get Michelle so she could go down where the boys were so she could feed them. When we arrived at 11:55 the nurses began to whisper to one another while looking at the tents and hoses that were coming from the boys. Come to find out that the hose fell off of one of their tents and the other's machine was not working like it should. When I asked the nurse when was the last time they checked on them she said around 10:30. My boys were breathing well on their own since 10:30.....about the same time I was downstairs pouring my heart out to God. After that they never needed oxygen again and came home only 2 days later. How could God, the orchestrator of all things in the universe, take time to answer my prayer. Thank you Lord for being a provider. Genesis 2:7

My Answered Prayers

Where to begin. My #1 answered prayer was on July 15th 1995. It was Neighborhood Bible Time at a church in Princeton NC. My best friend from my senior year in high school invited me to go. I was lured with the promise of meeting girls. After playing fun games and having the local fire trucks soak everyone with water during a water balloon fight, we made our way into the fellowship hall. I was in a red t-shirt and red pair of shorts. I was soaking wet and it was freezing cold inside the church. After only a few minutes of preaching an invitation was given. I didn't know what I was doing but I raised my hand in truthful answer to a question from the youth pastor, but when he said get up and follow someone to explain it to me I didn't move. I secretly slipped my hand down. About that same time my best friend gave me a stiff elbow to the ribs urging me to go. He was quite a bit bigger than me so I reluctantly went. After following a stranger upstairs into an empty room I was asked the question, "why should God let you into heaven?" To my surprise the answer I gave was wrong. Mr. Steve then showed me my error. The gospel of Jesus Christ was presented and I gave my life to Him. Right there in the upstairs of a church, in my clash of red on red attire, the creator of the universe reached down and saved me. Without this beginning there would be no "rest of the story" as they say. That's why this HAD to be the #1 answered prayer in my life.

Answered Prayers

Where else would the LAMB of God be born.