No Mistaking
Last week was one of those weeks. Actually,
my week went pretty well, but I received emails, texts, and other communications from friends and people for whom I care deeply whose weeks weren't going quite as spectacularly as mine. Just a sampling -- a mom grieving over her daughter's involvement with drugs, a friend desperate to see God's hand of provision in the family business's finances, a family member dealing with an injury that turns simple tasks into major undertakings, a single mom grasping for hope and wisdom as she makes decisions that will affect her girls in major ways.
Those who know me best know that the prayer requests I receive are NEVER taken lightly. Reaching out to others to ask them to bring their needs, hopes, hurts, desires, dreams, disappointments, and all that resides in a beating heart to the foot of the cross is a big deal to me. Because I BELIEVE. I believe that God is the Maker and Sustainer of this world ("The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…" -- Psalm 24:1) -- that He's in charge, that He's "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20), that He's good ("Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." -- Psalm 118:1), that He cares, that He's "close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). So I pray. I "approach the throne of grace with CONFIDENCE" (Hebrews 4:16a). And I wait for the Lord to act in His perfect timing with the response that He knows is best for His beloved child. And because I love a good party. Hey -- what better reason to celebrate than an answered prayer?!
So this weekend, when I heard a song I'd never heard before, all of the faces of these precious, hurting God-seekers came to mind.
My sweet husband Scott serves the Lord by singing in the worship ministry at the church we attend. This weekend, Regi Stone came in for what I would describe as a mini-retreat and workshop for the ministry members. Friday night was open to guests and spouses so Scott and I made that our date night. We enjoyed singing and a challenge to make worship part of our daily lives and -- my favorite part! -- writing psalms! At the close of the evening, Regi shared the story of his and his wife's story of adopting their two children. It was entertaining, inspiring, and incredible. He chronicled detail after amazing detail of each child's journey into the Stone family, and at the close of his story, he shared his song "No Mistaking." As he sang, that slideshow of those faces so heavy on my heart began to play. The song attested to God's actions being so perfectly timed, so perfectly tuned to the situation, so beautifully played out that there could be "no mistaking" that the Lord Himself brings the perfect answer to a prayer rising from a desperate heart.
Here is my prayer for you, dear friend, as you struggle with whatever hard thing God has on your plate in this season -- that you will wait on Him. That you won't give up. That you will persevere in prayer and hope and faith. That you will honestly share your heart with Him -- runny mascara and heart-wrenching sobs and frustrated rants don't scare away your good God. And that you will find that in HIS timing, in His beautiful way, He will hear, and He will answer in such a unique, specific way that there will be no mistaking.
Those who know me best know that the prayer requests I receive are NEVER taken lightly. Reaching out to others to ask them to bring their needs, hopes, hurts, desires, dreams, disappointments, and all that resides in a beating heart to the foot of the cross is a big deal to me. Because I BELIEVE. I believe that God is the Maker and Sustainer of this world ("The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…" -- Psalm 24:1) -- that He's in charge, that He's "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20), that He's good ("Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." -- Psalm 118:1), that He cares, that He's "close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). So I pray. I "approach the throne of grace with CONFIDENCE" (Hebrews 4:16a). And I wait for the Lord to act in His perfect timing with the response that He knows is best for His beloved child. And because I love a good party. Hey -- what better reason to celebrate than an answered prayer?!
So this weekend, when I heard a song I'd never heard before, all of the faces of these precious, hurting God-seekers came to mind.
My sweet husband Scott serves the Lord by singing in the worship ministry at the church we attend. This weekend, Regi Stone came in for what I would describe as a mini-retreat and workshop for the ministry members. Friday night was open to guests and spouses so Scott and I made that our date night. We enjoyed singing and a challenge to make worship part of our daily lives and -- my favorite part! -- writing psalms! At the close of the evening, Regi shared the story of his and his wife's story of adopting their two children. It was entertaining, inspiring, and incredible. He chronicled detail after amazing detail of each child's journey into the Stone family, and at the close of his story, he shared his song "No Mistaking." As he sang, that slideshow of those faces so heavy on my heart began to play. The song attested to God's actions being so perfectly timed, so perfectly tuned to the situation, so beautifully played out that there could be "no mistaking" that the Lord Himself brings the perfect answer to a prayer rising from a desperate heart.
Here is my prayer for you, dear friend, as you struggle with whatever hard thing God has on your plate in this season -- that you will wait on Him. That you won't give up. That you will persevere in prayer and hope and faith. That you will honestly share your heart with Him -- runny mascara and heart-wrenching sobs and frustrated rants don't scare away your good God. And that you will find that in HIS timing, in His beautiful way, He will hear, and He will answer in such a unique, specific way that there will be no mistaking.