I was in the bathroom on a Making Space for God Thursday. I was preparing to teach a lesson, and I was wrestling with my microphone. Men must have an easier time getting those microphones on! There’s so much for me to maneuver; under the shirt, then under the hair, then over the ears – but dodge the earrings! – and who knows what else. I was wrestling the microphone into submission when a sweet friend I hadn’t seen in several years came up to the sink and greeted me. She and I were in the same small group, and she was returning to Drawing Near to God after having been away for a season. I asked about her daughter and told her I was glad to see her back. She said, “When I last saw you, you had two little girls, and you were hoping to adopt a third child. How did that go?” I was happy to report that, yes, the adoption went through. My sweet son was playing in the nursery on site, and with his baby brother to boot! What a gift to catch up with someone from another season.
Her question immediately brought me back to our small group conversations and that specific time of my walk with the Lord. I remember coming to my small group week after week, asking for prayers for the adoption process, for endurance, encouragement, and hope. It was a trying, refining season. We didn’t know how everything would turn out. We hoped and prayed for a successful adoption, but nothing was guaranteed, and it was uncomfortable to sit in such ambiguity. All we could do was pray and wait, and trust God’s timing.
But now my son is here. He’s silly, and mischievous, and bombastic, and tender. He’s healthy and growing, and learning. He’s an answer to prayer, a little miracle walking around my house. We prayed so much in the months leading up to his birth. God saw our hearts. He heard, and he answered. And I was reminded of it all by a faithful sister in the church bathroom.
I am surrounded by answered prayers. My husband, my children, my home, my role in this ministry. These are all undeserved gifts from God that are part of my life now, but used to be nothing but prayer requests waiting to be realized. I’m humbled by God’s goodness and kindness toward me. I’m inspired afresh to pour out my heart in prayer because God hears our prayers and responds to us. Not always in the timing we would want, or with the answers we would want, but in his wisdom.
I hope you can track God’s faithfulness to you today. What is a part of your everyday life that used to be a prayer request, something you were asking God for then, and are blessed to have now? Maybe the opposite is true, maybe you’re urgently asking God for something today. I pray that God increases your hope and your expectation. I hope you’re reminded of His goodness and faithfulness.
Elise
