Reason #72
Over the past 6 months, I have experienced God in so many new and incredible ways. I have seen Him work in ways like never before. I have seen Him move, felt His presence so tangibly. And for 17 years I have believed in him. And never has there been a time in my life that I've been more sure of God's existence and power than I am right now.
Sometimes we walk through the valleys and we wonder if He really is there. "God, are you here? Am I going through this alone? Do you care?" Oh friends, He cares. He cares more than you know. And many are the nights that I prayed for my broken heart only to realize His was broken, too. Because He cares. Many were the days I asked Him to remove the hurt, only to realize He was taking it upon his own shoulders. Because he cares.
And he listens, because He cares. So I've asked a lot, and I've told him a lot. And my friends and family have done the same, too. Because they care.
Eleven days ago, I asked. I asked my friends and family to pray for me. I asked them to fight through one more day with me. This isn't the first time I have asked them either. I've asked them again and again to go before Him and to pray for me, for my situation. To intercede. Warriors, they are. Each of them, mighty warriors. They ask and they believe. I asked Him, too. "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for." (Matthew 7:7)
So a few thousand miles away, and a few time zones a part, they asked. They asked Him for strength, they asked Him for protection, they asked Him to shield my mind, they asked Him to be my focus, my distraction. They asked Him to help me make it over this hurdle. They asked Him for blessings, to reveal Himself in a mighty way.
I figured I was going to dread that day. But I knew my friends were asking. I was asking. And I remembered how He had shown me time and time again that He cares. I saw it in big ways on those particular days. The days that I figured I would dread. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year's. Valentine's Day. That day. Days I just knew I would be a mess, and I wasn't. Because He cared, and He showed me. He showed me that He was hearing me, that He could see me. He reminded me, "...[I] know exactly what you need even before you ask [me]." (Matthew 6:8)
And that day, the day we asked, I received in a way like never before. I received strength and protection. He shielded my mind. I remember getting half way through the day thinking, "I haven't had any of the dreaded memories today..." and before I could continue that thought, it was cut off. My mind wouldn't even go there, not intentionally or unintentionally. Oh, how I received what they had asked for. What I had asked for. What He knew I needed before we began asking.
"And since we know he hears our hearts before we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." (1 John 5:15) So I ask. I ask because I need Him. I ask because I can't do it on my own. I ask because I am completely dependent on Him. And I ask because I know He cares.
#72 - Because I know who to ask!
"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20
Sometimes we walk through the valleys and we wonder if He really is there. "God, are you here? Am I going through this alone? Do you care?" Oh friends, He cares. He cares more than you know. And many are the nights that I prayed for my broken heart only to realize His was broken, too. Because He cares. Many were the days I asked Him to remove the hurt, only to realize He was taking it upon his own shoulders. Because he cares.
And he listens, because He cares. So I've asked a lot, and I've told him a lot. And my friends and family have done the same, too. Because they care.
Eleven days ago, I asked. I asked my friends and family to pray for me. I asked them to fight through one more day with me. This isn't the first time I have asked them either. I've asked them again and again to go before Him and to pray for me, for my situation. To intercede. Warriors, they are. Each of them, mighty warriors. They ask and they believe. I asked Him, too. "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for." (Matthew 7:7)
So a few thousand miles away, and a few time zones a part, they asked. They asked Him for strength, they asked Him for protection, they asked Him to shield my mind, they asked Him to be my focus, my distraction. They asked Him to help me make it over this hurdle. They asked Him for blessings, to reveal Himself in a mighty way.
I figured I was going to dread that day. But I knew my friends were asking. I was asking. And I remembered how He had shown me time and time again that He cares. I saw it in big ways on those particular days. The days that I figured I would dread. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year's. Valentine's Day. That day. Days I just knew I would be a mess, and I wasn't. Because He cared, and He showed me. He showed me that He was hearing me, that He could see me. He reminded me, "...[I] know exactly what you need even before you ask [me]." (Matthew 6:8)
And that day, the day we asked, I received in a way like never before. I received strength and protection. He shielded my mind. I remember getting half way through the day thinking, "I haven't had any of the dreaded memories today..." and before I could continue that thought, it was cut off. My mind wouldn't even go there, not intentionally or unintentionally. Oh, how I received what they had asked for. What I had asked for. What He knew I needed before we began asking.
"And since we know he hears our hearts before we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." (1 John 5:15) So I ask. I ask because I need Him. I ask because I can't do it on my own. I ask because I am completely dependent on Him. And I ask because I know He cares.
#72 - Because I know who to ask!
"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20