I have this code I try to stick to when it comes to prayers.  If I specifically ask God for something and He answers my prayers then I think if it is appropriate to share publicly, then I should share that answered prayer.  Some requests are for very private matters for you or others and it’s not a good idea to give details, but anytime we have the opportunity to publicly give praise to God for answered prayers, then we should.  Pslam 100:4 – “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”  So I want to take a minute and do that today.

Sometimes when we pray we feel that we shouldn’t “bother” God with small things. The details.  Things that aren’t important enough to disrupt God from all the serious things he needs to do.  But I think that’s faulty thinking.  God tells us that we are precious to Him.  He instructs us to be faithful in bringing our requests to him.   He even knows how many hairs are on our head, so I tend to think if He’s that inclined to detail, then He won’t mind me sharing the details of my life either.

There’s a story in 2 Kings 6 where a man was cutting trees and the axe head fell into the water.  He was worried because the axe was borrowed.  So he asked the Prophet (the spokes person for God to the nation of Israel) for help.  The Prophet Elisha threw a stick into the water and the axe head began to float.  Now this man wasn’t doing some amazingly great thing.  He was just doing his job.  The mundane things of life.  And when he needed help with it He asked God’s Prophet for help.  Well, today we can go straight to Jesus and ask for help when we need it and He wants to help.

God showed me this clearly about a week ago.  A couple of weeks back my family and I were on a trip to Black Mountain, NC.  It’s wonderful there but I had never been before now.  I have a friend who I rarely get to see, that just loves it there.  So while we were in the area it brought her to my mind.  I sent a text to let her know where I was and that I was thinking of her.  She responded that God had put me on her mind a lot lately and she would see me soon.

If you’re not a follower of God, that might seem strange, that God was directing you toward another person.  If you are a follower of God then you know that the more you walk with Him, the more that kind of thing happens and it’s a sweet, sweet way to live……..in tune and with purpose.

So after getting home from the trip, my friend came to see me (that’s a story in itself of how the timing was orchestrated by God).  She said the Lord had put me on her mind for weeks and knew there was something He wanted her to do in relation to ME!  But she hadn’t figured it out yet.  Hmmm, ok.  Like I said, I’ve walked awhile with the Lord, so this was not spooky to me.  I knew we would know in time.  I didn’t know that the time would be in about 30 minutes.

I could tell you the long version, but here’s the Reader’s Digest version.  My life tasks are large.  There’s the 5 kids and being the preacher’s wife, but I’ve taken on some other ministry responsibilities and work lately that keep me pretty busy.  So the house is the thing that I always let go because I won’t make myself crazy to keep it clean. Nor will I sacrifice the little time I have with my husband or give up this precious time when my kids are still young.  So for several months I have been praying for some help with things at home.  If you read Post-it Note 16:  Lord of the Mess you know I’m not kidding about needing some help!  Through a whole series of re-arranging kids rooms, a bedroom was about to open up.  My friend, who was caring for an elderly woman and living with her was losing her job/housing because the woman was getting well enough that my friend wasn’t needed any more.  In addition to this, my Autistic daughter has some personal care hours available to her, but nobody to fill them and I’ve been praying for some help with her.  Can you tell where this story is going to go?

Of course you can.  My friend is moving in with us this weekend.  She will be able to fill the hours for my daughter.  She has a place to stay and I “just happen” to have a room come available.  And now, drumroll……………She’s TAKING OVER MY LAUNDRY!!!! Can I get a witness?  An amen?  A Hallelujah?  Let me publicly say, “Thank you God!”

All the while she was looking for new housing, and a new job, she said the Lord kept telling her, “Wait!”  And at the same time He kept me on her mind with her not knowing the 2 were related.  And all the while I’m praying for some help.  Listen friends.  There’s no shame in needing help.  There’s only shame when we’re too stubborn to ask for it.  And the best person to ask for help is The Creator God who loves you more than you can imagine and is very concerned about the details of your life.

And you never know when God will give you the help you need by answering someone else’s prayer as well.  God pulled a 2-for-1 deal on this one.  My friend and I, we both asked for help and God is granting it to both of us with each other.  Oh, and the other piece is she has cats.  We are allergic to cats at the Post house, so they can’t live with us 😦  So, we figured if God could work out this laundry/housing deal, the cats where a done deal too.  So we prayed for the cats.  Sure enough, someone agreed yesterday to foster them for my friend until she’s able to get them back.  Friends, God cares about your laundry.  He cares about your cats.  He cares about your vacation plans.  He cares about your broken stove.  He cares about the busted water hose on your car.  He cares about every detail of your life.

There’s a short little verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  It simply says, “Pray continually”.  That’s it.  Y’all, my day isn’t filled with only huge, important moments.  It’s filled with lots of details.  I need a parking place or a left hand turn.  I need to find matching socks or my keys.  I need my van to start.  My life is full of lots of little details that lead to a very full life.  Trust God with those details.  Pray continually about them.  He cares.  More than you know.

Blessings!

Connie