Jesus, Java & Jewels Jeremiah 33:3

I never have thought everything about one's personal life should be aired on social media. Now and then, I may talk about issues that I have faced personally over the years with hopes that someone might benefit from my mistakes....but not to air a lot of dirty laundry so to speak. So as vague as this may sound, my family is currently going through some stuff.

This morning I decided that I needed some alone time. I sat my coffee down, set aside my cellphone and dragged my lounge chair out into the middle of the yard in the sunshine. I just wanted to feel the warm sunshine, the oddly cool breeze and to just breathe. Instead, I did all that work only to get positioned just exactly right and the clouds came over and the sun went in. My desire to just breathe turned into more of a sigh.

It was then when I thought, "I didn't pray for any of this...or did I?" My mama taught me early on to be careful what you pray for, that God is faithful and that He is in control. Well, I know that scripture tells us that we can call unto God and He will answer us, and show us great things. I also know that I ask Him daily to stretch my faith and to make me even more dependent on Him. I have even asked Him to put me in situations that would allow me to grow closer to Him and trust Him even more than I already do. So, there you have it...I asked for it...clear as a bell!

Why in the world would I ask to be put in this current situation that is not only undesirable, but uncertain. While I sat there under the cloudy sky, I watched my husband go to and from his building desperately trying to mend a broken fence without spending a dime, I heard the distant arguing of kids wondering why one got two new pairs of shoes this week and the other one didn't get any at all and then my daughter brought Pearl outside to make her around in the yard...and then she jumped up into my lap scratching my leg...which reminded me that she needed to get to the groomer to have her nails clipped...then my husband comes and sits down in front of me and says,"We got this! He has a bigger plan for us. Don't worry about anything. We will make is work."

Then the whole for better or for worse, in sickness or in health, in good times or bad speech came flashing before my eyes...God wants us to turn to Him first and not as a last resort. God wants us as parents to use every opportunity to teach our children to be dependent on Him instead of relying on man or money. We want our children to see God take us at our word when He answers our prayers. They are watching us to see if we will in deed continue to worship Him.

So, while I may have asked God to put us in our current situation, the way we respond to Him will set the stage for how our children will develop a clear understanding of not only the importance of prayer but that it is safe to pray and that in all things God can be trusted.