Answered Prayer

God answers prayer. Yes, I am a grumbling Israelite to the extreme. Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I give new meaning to strong willed. So, why would God answer my prayer?

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling—

even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

 Yesterday, I received a call from the 5th creditor that just about sent me over the edge. So, I called my lawyer's office to see if there was anything that could be done to stop the phone calls (each creditor has been calling numerous times per day except the new one that called yesterday and was very polite and kind). Thank God my lawyer was out of town and didn't have to listen to me whine. Which after the case he won last week and kicked big butt on, I am just wondering why he even works with people like me. He must have some greater calling and patience than I can understand.

Anyway, I whined to his secretary instead. Sorry for that. I went home, fell on the couch and took a 20 minute nap, prayed, and then went to walk and do some stands. When I exercise, I blast praise music (unless I'm with the child who must not be named in my posts) through my head phones (probably not safe when walking down the road). It is a time to just focus on moving and worshiping and praising God. It was a good time of fellowship and forgiveness. I laid all my grumbling bare (which is probably not hard since God can read my blogs and my mind). 

I got back home and decided to visit my mom. There are times that a girl just needs her momma. Mom did exactly what I needed her to do: she listened, she hugged me and let me cry, tried to make me eat a bunch of fried food, and then made me promise to call when I got home safe. I was ending my day with unconditional love from my mom and then a phone call with my sister (who is the greatest listener) that held the same patience and compassion.

Then, answered prayer. Was it a prince? NO, what prince in his right mind would call me after my blogs? The guy would have to be the strongest man on Earth to even approach me unless of course he was a random stranger ignorant of my circumstances and blogging.

Was it the interview for the job that I am willing to serve Christ through? NO!! Was it a miraculous book offer from my blogging? NO!! Did my pathetic lease produce something? NO!! Did someone offer to buy one of my songs? NO!!

It was a love offering from a relative who just wanted to help me and my kids. It may help save my house in Shiner from foreclosure. I don't know, and it doesn't even matter. It was relief and renewed HOPE. I am so thankful that I cannot even express it. God has used me in the past to help my family financially as well as friends and even strangers or students.

 I have always been willing to help when God burdened me with a student needing shoes or clothes or food, even if I didn't know where the money would come from in times of personal famine. (Sales are often feast or famine seasons.) It's really all God's money anyway, and if He is burdening me then He must have a plan to take care of it. Right?  So, when I got the call, pride went out the door. I have given help to others and this is a time to receive help. So, I said, "Thank you. God bless you, and I love you." God is good, and I will not turn Him down.

I never would have expected that kind of a call. I never would have asked my family for a financial gift (because I cannot promise to pay anything back at this point, it would have to be a gift). What an amazing answer to prayer. Yes, I know that all of my circumstances could change on a dime with the publishing of my book, or a job change back to the principal-ship, or the selling of a song, or a miraculous oil and gas lease that actually produces something, or whatever. I know that I could meet a real prince tomorrow. I know that God is a God of miracles. In the heat of my circumstances, I have to remember to press into Him.

Stand firm. Keep the Faith. Rejoice in the trenches with me for the answer to an immediate relief! I am thanking God for my 7 hours of sleep last night, too!! It is really good to know that I am under His wings and that the fowler's snare has no hold on me. Yes, even though we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are loved beyond our limited comprehension, and God knows that I don't deserve it. Thank you, Jesus for taking care of me yet again!!