On the morning of New Year’s Eve, I sat, drinking my coffee and reflecting on the past year. So many changes have occurred in my life. Many changes were small, like getting a cat, while others were huge, liking getting a husband. As always, some were wanted, like a new house, and some less desirable, like my best friend moving further away. Many blessings were a surprise, while others were answered prayers.
God Answers Prayers
God answers all prayers. He may not give the answer we wanted or He might take a while. Of all my prayers answered in 2022, two really stood out to me. One being my quest for a house.
About five years ago, after unfortunate circumstances, my credit score was bottomed out. Barely surviving financially, I rented a small house, in which at times, four of us lived. My goal was to become a homeowner again. I worked diligently to raise my credit score and save for a down payment. About three years ago I reached the desired goal, and the search began.
I prayed that God would help me find the perfect house. First, I located a real estate agent, and found a loan officer that would give me the benefit of the doubt. Spending hours on the internet, I looked at houses and made lists of possibilities. Then I began viewing houses with the agent. It was so exciting to see all the potential homes.
However, each time I found one, and put in a bid, someone outbid me. House after house, after house. Then the loan officer helping me, left the bank. The replacement told me I was no longer eligible for a loan. This went on for two years. I could not understand why God was not answering my prayer.
God’s Timing
Well, here I sit, in my new home. My prayer went unanswered because it wasn’t to be MY new home, but OUR new home. God had the man, the gold band, and the home already planned.
Also this year God answered another prayer. This particular prayer had been going up for four years. At one point I remember sitting in my car, literally crying out to God with tears streaming down my face, begging for Him to help my loved one. Watching this person struggle was heart-wrenching at times. I think God was working it out slowly and finally my prayer was answered this year.
The Battle of Jericho
Sometimes God’s plan and timing don’t make sense to us. Imagine being an Israelite at the battle of Jericho. I might have said, “He wants us to do what? Walk around Jericho for six days? We can easily circle the city in one day! And we will be sitting ducks walking around and around out here in the open! God said he would make it collapse, why doesn’t he just do it the first time we circle?”
Even though the Israelites did not understand the process, they trusted God. They endured six days of silence and circling, just as God instructed. We must pray with endurance and faith. Believe in God’s promises, even when it seems like nothing is happening. In the silence, God is at work.
That evening the news shared details: “Fireworks set off inside Hamilton Place Mall; three injured trying to escape”.
“I’m sorry; you will need to go ahead and get a burial plot for your daughter.” Those were the words spoken to the father of a four-month-old baby girl. She had been born with a rare aorta deformity. Her aorta had grown normally, then split in half, grown around her esophagus and back together, making a complete ring. As her esophagus had grown, the ring tightened around it causing her difficulty swallowing and breathing.