My dear friend has such a heart for Jesus. And for people and for prayer and for me. I love her!
We were visiting on the phone today, planning our next meeting. She lives in Banks, I live in Pendleton ~ it's not often we see one another so when we do get the chance we so indulge in it!
Last year we shared a weekend together praising & dancing at the Rockin' Worship Road Show ~ not only did we have THAT excitement, but we were united with friends I hadn't seen in hummm 20 years! (she was in contact with them as they live closer to her) BLESSINGS were everywhere on this trip ...but let me start where they began for me.
It truly began at Burgerville in downtown Portland.
You may recall my story of she and I meeting a homeless fella who was recovering from drug addiction and trying to piece his life together. He shared his story and his desire to land a job for which he had an interview on Monday. OK... that encounter, it has been blessing me since that day.
How? Because Jesus lays this fella on my heart often, almost daily. I pray over him. I pray for people of faith to come into his life. I pray for opportunities for him. I pray for a warm place to lay his head. I pray for a hot shower, clean clothes and a home. I pray he finds love. I pray he has pride in himself. I pray he was given grace by those who he hurt and disappointed. I pray, I pray and I pray.
Today as my sweet inspiring friend and I were getting all kinds of excited about our upcoming trip, knowing my heart for this fella she tells me "And we are going back to THAT Burgerville! and this time we are having a burger" I laughed and told her ABSOLUTELY! Then I half kidding, but perhaps more serious than I understood at the time shared with her ~ She travels the map to be a missionary and share God. I go to Burgerville and we laughed. And then I told her, I will go where God sends me and if that is Burgerville, I'm going! She agreed. Burgerville could very well be my mission. Who am I to joke and doubt the power in what God has planned! SEND ME LORD!
Later in the day I share with my husband
[NOTE: don't fall off your chairs, but my husband is NOT a reader of this post and is absolutely clueless about what his wife is typing upon this page ~ I could totally be writing a comedy blog, just on him. But I won't... because I love him very much and well, with my luck he'll decide to read it]
I share with my husband the conversation with my dear friend and another conversation I had with another friend who asked "How will you know if your prayers worked?"
I don't know for certain, but with all of my heart this is what I believe.
One day I will arrive to heaven and I will see that face and I will remember it as though it was the day we met. And I will smile and be so happy for him to be standing there. Overjoyed! I will run to find Jesus and say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for putting him on my heart.
In no way do I believe I am his "way through the gates"
I fully and completely understand it will not be me who gets "Michigan" as I refer to him in my prayers~ "get's him in". HE will make that choice. Oh I pray with all my heart he chooses Jesus! I do know, it will be ME who is so overjoyed to see him, because I look forward to hearing the journey, I look forward to hearing his joys, his happiness, his success. I look forward to praising God and thanking Him for the opportunity to see Michigan and the opportunity to pray for him.
And ... what if I don't see him? What if he isn't there. Oh.... Nope! I have more faith than that! I know my God is MIGHTY and AMAZING and INCREDIBLE and ABLE and I know my prayers are sincere and my desire for Michigan to know Jesus so much greater than any doubt which might trickle in, I'm not going to stop praying. Not today, not next week, not next year. I will continue to pray because Jesus has laid it upon my heart and asked I do so. My heart desires to pray for him. A complete stranger I may never see again (but believe fully I will in heaven). GOD IS SO AWESOME!
Just because I don't see the fruits of my prayers, doesn't mean God isn't doing so abundantly more than I could imagine. Are there days when I wonder, why me Lord? Why Michigan? What's the point?
Hummm NOPE. I just trust. I just feel and know and believe I am meant to pray for him.
Some day, Jesus will explain it all to me. Someday I will see Michigan and won't he find me hilarious, to have prayed for what stood out most, what we shared in common. His home state. Oh what God uses to bring things to our hearts. Michigan"
Thank you Jesus for a heart which desires to serve and honor and love you. Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to pray over Michigan. Thank you Jesus for meeting me each time I come to you and reminding me, THIS IS GOOD. Thank you Jesus!
Today I pray for you. I pray you understand in your own life, in your own situations, in your own prayers, in your own day... Just because you don't see what God is doing, doesn't mean He isn't doing something. He is so abundantly good~ He loves us with an everlasting love and He has a plan for each and every one of us. One day He will reveal what we do not understand in a moment. Jesus loves us, He wants the best for us. Trust the process and trust Him in all circumstances! He will never leave us, He will never forsake us. He is with us in every moment. Take a deep breath and rest assured in the Power of His Name!
Be Blessed!