Prayer

Remember when I told you that I was going to begin asking God, very specifically for more TIME with Race? Not just for me, but for all of us as a family.

Sunday was Communion Sunday. I love the way that our church delivers communion, because we file up to the front quietly, in large groups at a time and form a semi-circle and the pastor and deacons actually come around and serve the sacrament to you. This is very personal and a wonderful way to worship. When the pastor got to the kids and I he could see that Race was still not with us. He stopped, and brought myself and the kids around him and prayed for Race with us. Then he gave us the bread and the wine, asked that God would bless it, and us....and then moved on to the next family. There is something so powerful in that. Of course it's wonderful that someone would take the time to think about you, your loved ones, etc. But it's so much more than that. Huge weights were lifted from our shoulders in that prayer. We were reminded that God works ALL things for our good.

That was Sunday.

On Monday, I received some pretty devastating news from Race. News that would mean, because of scheduling, he would be away much, MUCH, longer than ANY of us ever anticipated. In the form of many more MONTHS.

It was a situation that was completely out of our hands. Race said that he was praying. But, he cautioned me that things didn't look very favorable.

I resisted the urge to fall into a billion pieces right then and there. I almost did. But I resisted.

I reluctantly told the kids all that I knew. They are the bravest people that I know and they make me strong.

We began to pray that God would bring him home. That we would have more time. And we also prayed,... (and here's the hard part), that we would trust God's goodness no matter WHAT the outcome. And you know what? We meant it. In our hearts we were prepared to carry on no matter what the outcome.It would be so sad for us, but we just weren't going to break down or throw tantrums or lament our "horrible" situation. We really meant that we were trusting God to do what is best for us....not what we think is best.

Today the schedule was cleared. It was even better than cleared. Even more than we had hoped for.

Some might say that this answer would have been the same even if we hadn't ever uttered the first prayer. And maybe it would have. But would we have experienced the same feeling? That sort of joy that feels like sunshine filling you up inside?

In this we gained more than just the answer we were longing for.

We were BLESSED.

We were in closer communion to God. We grew a little bit, as Christians. All because of prayer.

Our asking and His giving. So simple and yet such a mystery.

And once again we are humbled beyond belief in God's grace and blessings that are extended to us.

We are so thankful.
Thank's to all who have ever said a prayer for us.

G'night
Melissa