30% Chance of Rain, 100% Chance of Answered Prayer

"Mom, do you know why it is raining?" asked my vibrant almost 7 year old son.

I almost didn't want to ask. I had just checked the weather earlier that morning on my phone as they watched another DVR'd episode of "Max and Ruby".  A 30% chance of rain today.  Okay, I think we can take a walk.    I had been sick all weekend and needed to get going, to get the energy to get up and do something.

So an hour later here I am pushing about 90 lb. of my other two children in the double stroller. (they were along for the ride, not the exercise) as it drizzled I was picking up my pace trying to make it home. I had nearly 200 thoughts running through my head and praying as we walked.

"Why is it raining?' I replied.

"Because, I asked God to make it rain."

He said it so simply, yet so powerfully.
It was a statement of faith, untethered to any percentages or forecasts.

"When did you ask God to make it rain?" I asked curiously.

"This morning while we were watching "Max and Ruby". Probably at the exact same time I was looking at my phone hoping for no rain.

I looked over to see him and his face is beaming with joy.

I immediately began a conversation with God in my head.
"Thank You! Thank you for that. I so needed to see it.  I needed to see the fruit of my labor in teaching my children to pray.  I needed to see you, their Heavenly Father show them personally that you are listening and answering.  Please help me to come to you with the same simple childlike faith in all of my prayers.  Open my eyes to the answers you give, especially the little ones like the cold small droplets I feel on my nose this very second.  It doesn't have to be a torrential downpour for my son to know his prayers were answered.  One drop was all it took and he knew.  Make it be so, with my prayers."


"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:4-7 ESV)

Giving Thanks While Tried

One month and some change are marked off of our deployment calendar already.  The time is passing quickly on both ends, which is such a blessing.  The key is to stay busy enough to keep your mind focused on other things, but to not get too busy and wear yourself out.  Ay, there’s the rub!  I stopped for a moment the other day just to breathe, and realized I had gone almost 35 days without being away from my children for more than about 2 hours once a week.  And surprisingly I was overwhelmed with thankfulness, not stress or frustration. 

When I think about Jason being over there and hear him talking about being home sick, it is very clear to me that I am blessed on this end of the deployment beyond measure.  I am in my home, I am with my kids, and I am safe.  He is far from home, far from the kids, and me and far from being safe. 

For both of us, the evenings are the hardest.  That was our time: our time to talk and laugh and shake off the stress of the day.  Now, it is quiet and sometimes down right empty.  Jason is so worn out that he fills that time with well-needed sleep.  I, on the other hand, spend it doing an extra load of laundry.  Sometimes I watch a movie or show as Jason and I often would do, but I find myself laughing hysterically or having a good cry and wishing so badly I could share it with him. 

It is hard when we only get to chat or talk for a few minutes in the morning or evening.  Trying to fit it all into a small conversation is challenging and almost never happens.  I always hang up thinking, “I have so much more to share with you!”  What is scary about it for me is that I feel like he is missing out on little parts of my day and I his.  Those little parts add up over time and before you know it, there is a huge part of your spouse’s life that you have missed.  They are somehow changed by these experiences that you never heard about.

But I am confident that our Father in Heaven will protect our hearts and minds in this time apart.   I know that I can expect a challenge with reintegration, but I also know that I can expect blessings.  And speaking of blessings, I am so thankful how in just this short time apart, Jason and I have grown in our relationship.  It is easy to see what we had been taking for granted.  A light has been shown on our love for each other.  It is like the ins and outs of daily life and routines had put a shadow over that part of our marriage.  We must remember to guard our love for each other and cultivate it more and more.  Thank you, Lord for showing us this. 

Another blessing and place of growth has been prayer.  I was encouraged by a sweet friend to follow through on an impulse to create a Facebook page dedicated to prayer for Jason.  I am so very thankful that I did.  It has been a wonderful avenue to get information out to family and friends and let them know how to pray for Jason specifically.  But most importantly it has been a way for me to become more intentional every morning in praying for Jason.  I make sure to ask him how I can pray for him when we talk.  I am always reading and memorizing specific scripture verses pertaining to his requests.  It is creating in me such immeasurable thankfulness!  And, though  it may sound funny to say, for this I am thankful!  

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

Having Peace Right Out of the Gate

I drove my dear husband to the airport today.  Sending him off on the first leg of a long journey to Afghanistan.  After eight years of marriage and nearly the same amount of time in the Army, this is our first deployment.  With three kids under six at home, I am now geographically a single parent.

 I have had my moments of tears and sadness in preparation for today.  But praise the Lord for I have peace. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We do not have to be thankful FOR everything, but we are commanding to give thanks IN everything.  I take all those fears and lay them at the feet of my Savior and in turn he guards my mind and heart with ineffable peace.  

 In “A Woman’s Walk with God” one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth George calls us to notice these truths about this peace that comes from God.

*Our peace has nothing to do with our circumstances, and everything to do with knowing we have a right relationship with God. 

*Our peace has nothing to do with daily challenges or crises, and everything to do with knowing that our times are in God’s hands.

*Our peace has nothing to do with the conditions of our life, and everything to do with knowing that God is all-sufficient.

*Our peace is an inward repose and serenity of soul that indicates a heart at rest—regardless of our circumstances—as we place complete confidence in God minute by minute.

            So as we begin this race together we are “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [we] press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

I pray in all we do this year and in every circumstance we will “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

It has been a while since I have tried my pen at poetry, but this little poem is written for my love, Jason.  I am honored to be your wife and soul mate and so very proud to call you my own.  Praying for you continually.  Be safe and come home to me.

Early morning, sun still hiding

Hearts aching; yet still abiding.

Peace like a river; gently flowing,

Faith like a flower; always growing.

"Farewell my love, I'll be waiting for you,

Pray for me, and I'll be praying for you."

"Fear not my love, I will come home.

Trust in Him and peace will come."

Two became one, for better or worse,

The Kingdom of God, seek ye first.

Through faith in our heart does Christ dwell,

Whatever our lot with my soul it is well.

'Tis the Season of Thanksgiving

A few years ago, I did a word study on Thanksgiving in the Bible.  I printed all the verses and sporadically hung them throughout our home that Thanksgiving and throughout the year as well as those that have followed.   A dear friend encouraged me to share these verses so here they are.  I pray they light a fire in your heart this season to Give Thanks to the Lord that will burn strong in the months to follow.  Blessings!

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God.

1 Chronicles 16:8

Oh give THANKS to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh give THANKS to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

1 Chronicles 16:35

 “Save us, O God of our salvation,

and gather and deliver us from among the nations,

that we may GIVE THANKS to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

2 Chronicles 7:3

When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave THANKS to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

 Ezra 3:11

And they sang responsively, praising and GIVING THANKS to the Lord,

“For he is good,for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Psalm 7:17

I will give to the Lord the THANKS due to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 9:1

I will give THANKS to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give THANKS to him.

Psalm 30:4

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and GIVE THANKS to his holy name.

Psalm 30:12

that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

Lord my God, I will GIVE THANKS to you forever!

Psalm 33:2

GIVE THANKS to the Lord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

Psalm 44:8

In God we have boasted continually,

and we will GIVE THANKS to your name forever. Selah

Psalm 54:6

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;

I will GIVE THANKS to your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Psalm 57:9

I will GIVE THANKS to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

Psalm 75:1

We GIVE THANKS to you, O God;

we GIVE THANKS, for your name is near.

We recount your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 79:13

But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,

will GIVE THANKS to you forever;

from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Psalm 86:12

I GIVE THANKS to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 92:1

It is good to GIVE THANKS to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

Psalm 97:12

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,

and GIVE THANKS to his holy name!

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with THANKSGIVING,

and his courts with praise!

GIVE THANKS to him; bless his name!

Psalm 105:1

Oh GIVE THANKS to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 106:1

Praise the Lord!

Oh GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:47

Save us, O Lord our God,

and gather us from among the nations,

that we may GIVE THANKS to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

Psalm 107:1

Oh GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 108:3

I will GIVE THANKS to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

Psalm 109:30

With my mouth I will GIVE GREAT THANKS to the Lord;

I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

Psalm 111:1

Praise the Lord!

I will GIVE THANKS to the Lord with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Psalm 118:1

Oh GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 118:19

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

and GIVE THANKS to the Lord.

Psalm 118:28

You are my God, and I will GIVE THANKS to you;

you are my God; I will extol you.

Psalm 118:29

Oh GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 136:1

GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:2

GIVE THANKS to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:3

GIVE THANKS to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalm 136:26

GIVE THANKS to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 138:1

I give you THANKS, O Lord, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

Psalm 138:2

I bow down toward your holy temple

and GIVE THANKS to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

for you have exalted above all things

your name and your word.

Psalm 138:4

All the kings of the earth shall GIVE YOU THANKS, O Lord,

for they have heard the words of your mouth,

Psalm 140:13

Surely the righteous shall GIVE THANKS to your name;

the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalm 142:7

Bring me out of prison,

that I may GIVE THANKS to your name!

The righteous will surround me,

for you will deal bountifully with me.

Psalm 145:10

All your works shall GIVE THANKS to you, O Lord,

and all your saints shall bless you!

Isaiah 12:4

And you will say in that day:

“GIVE THANKS to the Lord,

call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that his name is exalted.

Matthew 15:36

he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having GIVEN THANKS he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Romans 6:17

But THANKS be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Romans 7:25

THANKS be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 14:6

The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he GIVES THANKS to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and GIVES THANKS to God.

1 Corinthians 1:4

I GIVE THANKS to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 15:57

But THANKS be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Corinthians 2:14

But THANKS be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2 Corinthians 9:15

THANKS be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Ephesians 5:18-21

…be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, GIVING THANKS always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Colossians 1:11-12

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, GIVING THANKS to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

GIVE THANKS in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be THANKFUL.

Psalm 26:7

proclaiming THANKSGIVING aloud,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 50:14

Offer to God a sacrifice of THANKSGIVING,

and perform your vows to the Most High,

Psalm 50:23

The one who offers THANKSGIVING as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly

I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalm 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with THANKSGIVING.

Psalm 95:2

Let us come into his presence with THANKSGIVING;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 107:22

And let them offer sacrifices of THANKSGIVING,

and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 116:17

I will offer to you the sacrifice of THANKSGIVING

and call on the name of the Lord.

Psalm 147:7

Sing to the Lord with THANKSGIVING;

make melody to our God on the lyre!

Jeremiah 30:19

Out of them shall come songs of THANKSGIVING,

and the voices of those who celebrate.

I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;

I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.

2 Corinthians 4:15

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase THANKSGIVING, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 9:11

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce THANKSGIVING to God.

Ephesians 5:4

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be THANKSGIVING.

Philippians 4:6

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 2:6-7

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in THANKSGIVING.

Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with THANKSGIVING.

1 Timothy 4:4

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with THANKSGIVING,

Revelation 7:11-12

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! BLESSING and GLORY and WISDOM and THANKSGIVING and HONOR and POWER and MIGHT be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”