Mathew 21:22

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." - NIV

I pray, I pray a lot, I pray alone, I pray with Courtney, I pray with friends, I pray when I eat, I pray when I'm in bed, I pray in my car. But, so often I wonder if God even hears me. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way but I do feel this way some times. I know God hears me, God hears me when I forget to pray. I guess I don't really doubt he hears me, I just wonder why His way is so different than mine some times.

Today I don't feel that way. Today I was reminded that God does hear us and God does answer our prayers. God is listening and God is doing what is needed on His time.

I have a friend, a wonderful, godly of a woman friend. She prays for her son every day and God answers her prayers. Not only has he answered her prayers once, but 4 or 5 times in just the past few months. When she is concerned, she prays for something specific and I tell you what, God answers that specific prayer, literally.

When I get her text messages (today's said "Prayer Rocks") I know the Lord has been listening to her and just blessed her with an answer. What an amazing God we have. What an amazing friend in Christ I have.

The Power of Prayer

So the other day Paul and I were in our Wednesday night spiritual development class. It's usually a lot of fun and we get a lot out of it. But Wednesday was a little different...we were not getting along, at all. Actually we hadn't been getting along much in the past couple of days. We are married, we have problems, not a big shocker. Details not needed but we just couldn't get on the same page and neither of us was willing to budge. So we are in this class, a couples class on how to have better love now, making your marriage a life long love affair and we are not talking, we are not looking at each other, we are not participating together, we are not happy to be there together. We get through the class (still learning a lot) and are getting ready to leave. Clint asks for prayer requests and I sit there..."do I say something, do I keep my mouth shut, say something Annie, you need it", these are my thoughts. So, hesitantly I say something. I ask the class if they could pray for Paul and I, that we are struggling right now and we just need some prayers. When I opened my mouth I figured Clint would just write it down and say 'of course'. Oh boy was I wrong. Regina is in there and if you don't know Regina, you should! She asks if they could pray for us now. "ok" I think "they are going to pray now, awesome". Again, no no no. The class gets up and walks over to me and Paul, surround us and put there hands upon us.

Side note: I grew up in the Lutheran church...Lutherans don't do that.

I had seen people do it before but never experienced it. Boy, God is amazing. What warmth and love you feel through prayer, having some strangers and friends alike standing over you with their hands upon your shoulder praying for you, it was amazing! The Holy Spirit was present, I could feel it in my heart and through the words that were spoken by Regina.

So we left church that night with prayers on our shoulders, went home, and fought like cats and dogs! I didn't title this "The power of a miracle" did I? :-) But you know what, we are doing better. We did not fall asleep that night with the problem as it was.