Tag: answered prayer

Watching and Waiting

On By vickleaIn Scripture5 Comments

I remember as a child watching out the window for my daddy to get home. He may have a surprise for me, but he always had a big hug and a smile. As I grew older, I watched out the window for a date to arrive, anticipating but also a little fearful. Once I got married, I watched for my husband to come home from deployment. I knew the general time of his arrival, but I never knew how long it would take him to finish the process so he could actually come home. So, I watched and waited. Once we had children, we watched and waited together for daddy’s arrival, making signs to welcome him home and some baked goods that he enjoyed. Now that I am older and the children have moved away, I watch and wait for phone calls, FaceTime and letters or cards. The watching and waiting never stops.

In the last six months, as I have faced numerous medical tests, I have been in a season of watching and waiting. But it is the Lord that I am watching and waiting for. I know that He is always there for me, so I am watching to see what He will do in my life and I wait for His answer. All of the doctors have their own opinions, but it is only God who has the real answer. So, I watch and wait and know that God is hearing me. He hasn’t failed me yet…years of watching and waiting have taught me that He is faithful and the last six months are building my trust. One more test on Monday, an MRA that the neurologist ordered to see if there is something going on with the blood vessels in my brain. Maybe. Maybe not. God knows. So, for Him, I watch and wait. He made me, He has healed me too many times for me to count, and He will also take care of this problem in His own way and in His time. His way and His timing is always perfect. Thus, watching and waiting while I hope in the Lord is a good, encouraging thing for me to do. It’s a blessing to know that God is right there, ready to send the answer to my prayers.

A Testimony and a Praise

On By vickleaIn Quotation and Citations, Scripture6 Comments

These last few months, I have felt as though I knew what it was like to be the desperate woman who reached out to touch Jesus for her healing. I have been to specialist after specialist and had more medical tests than I knew existed, but the answer to my fainting and dizziness has been elusive. Then on Thursday, I saw a Balance Specialist. If you are blinking and looking again to see if you read that right, I can assure you that there is such a thing although it’s a totally new concept to me, too. My cardiologist had done innumerable tests and suggested I see my ENT to check for an inner ear problem. My regular ENT referred me to a Balance Specialist, a physician’s assistant who is actually a specialized physical therapist. I must admit that I went to the office with a little trepidation, wondering what in the world the new test would be like. This likable thirty-ish young man spent about half an hour with me. First he used some goggle like instrument that made me feel as though I were playing a video game in total darkness. He said that was checking my inner ear and there was no problem there. Then he had me lie down on a table, took my blood pressure, sat me up suddenly and took it again. Voila! An answer! It seems that the med that I am taking for my high blood pressure is a Beta blocker that keeps my heart from speeding up as it needs to do when I change positions. As a result, I get dizzy and if it doesn’t correct quickly enough, I faint. So, I was given instructions to talk to my cardiologist about changing or modifying my medicine. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But apparently it wasn’t since I have been to five different specialists since February and not one of them picked up on this problem. Anyway, I still have a few more tests to undergo to satisfy my neurologist but I am delighted to have an answer that seems to be something that can be easily addressed. What amazes me is that God knew all along what has been happening and has kept me right in the palm of His hand. I haven’t been frustrated, angry or discouraged as I am accustomed to getting when faced when plans that had to change. God has comforted me and encouraged me that everything will be okay if I am patient.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my “word” for the year is TRUST. I set out at the beginning of the year with the goal in mind that I will learn to lean into the Lord, trusting Him no matter what. God took me at my word and is helping me to fulfill that promise.

I would like to think that the worst is behind me, but even if that is not proven to be true, I know that I can completely trust God’s love for me. My health may not be what I want it to be, but my soul is thriving with God.

This is a quotation from a devotional that I read this week. Hudson Taylor had a lot of challenges in his life, yet he could still write these words and mean them with his whole heart. I plan to copy this and put it on a card on my bathroom mirror, just to remind myself that I am still moving forward and God is still with me, fulfilling His promises to me.

What has God done for you lately? What is your testimony of His greatness in your life? Small things, big things, all things. Give God all the glory!

God’s Answers to Prayers

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

I am sure that if you are like me, you spend a lot of time talking to God, telling Him your problems and challenges and then waiting for an answer from Him. Sometimes, in fact a lot of times, I get impatient waiting for the answer and try to help God out. He doesn’t need my help. He just needs me to believe and to wait.

This verse says WHEN they call on Him, not if we call on Him. The expectation from God is that we will call on Him and His reply is that He will answer. He will be with us and will rescue us. I think the honor part comes in when others see that we trusted in God and He answered. All glory goes to the Father!

It is important that before we go before the throne of God with our petitions, we know what His will is. So, how do we do that? We have to immerse ourselves in His Word in order to discover what His will is. We have to have a relationship with Him in which we talk to Him daily and wait for Him to speak to us. Instead of a one-sided wish list that we present rapidly just before we get on with the busyness of our day, we need to take time to just sit in His presence and hear Him clearly. God wants a relationship with each of us, not a bunch of whiners who treat Him as though He is the genie in a bottle who will grant all of our wishes. We need to be aware of how our prayers will affect others and know that God is not just hearing our petitions but also those of millions of others (hopefully) and He has to take into account everyone all at the same time. My finite mind cannot even conceive of such power but God has it whether I can understand it or not, and He answers prayers according to His will. That thought brings me back to the first part of this paragraph. We discover God’s will be spending time with Him and with His Word.

May your prayers be answered according to God’s will and may you rest in faith and contentment knowing that God is working out things that are best for you and for the rest of His Creation.

Answers

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

I know I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating that God always answers our prayers. It may not be at the time we expect or how we expect, but there is always an answer. The answer is always Yes, No, or Not yet.

Yesterday was a waiting period for me for answers. I had a high blood pressure reading that refused to go down. I stayed in the bedroom where I’m sleeping, praying, reading, calling my daughter to agree with me in prayer. After a couple of hours, my headache was worse and when I checked my blood pressure, it was higher still. Having had a stroke already, I knew I had to remain calm and focus on positive things. Thus, yesterday’s post about thoughts.

This has been a verse that I have leaned on repeatedly. I really need Jesus to always guard my heart and mind so those anxious thoughts don’t slip in and make themselves at home there.

After about six hours of the headache and elevated blood pressure and continued prayer, the pain eased and the pressure started to go down. Finally, in mid-afternoon, I felt normal again. God’s timing is always perfect, even when I think He’s arriving with an answer a little late. Just after I started praising God for feeling better, my sister got a phone call telling her that the issue at her doctor’s office was resolved. She was approved for the medicine she needed. Big praise from me there! Her negative attitude did not stop right away but it got better and so did I. Sometimes, it takes more praise and less anxiety for the answer to be revealed. But God never stopped working on my behalf or for my sister, the root of my anxiety.

I don’t know what today will bring. I haven’t taken my BP yet this morning. But whatever comes, I know that God is in control. As my friend here on WordPress said in her post, God is THE boss!

God knows where I am and He is examining the path before me, moving obstacles and helping me not to stray or stumble.

Have a blessed and wonderful day, enjoying God’s presence in your life and watching for answers to prayers.

Praise God

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

bible.com/bible/113/psa.66.20.NIVUK

I think all of us can relate to times when our faith was low and we thought we had failed God. Last week was such a time for me, but I clung tightly to the One in whom I believe and He is restoring me. I’m still struggling in some areas, but God knows and He is meeting me right where I am, just as He will do for you.

God bless you and your day with Him and His presence, reminding you of His love and faithfulness.

God’s Presence and Answered Prayer

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

These verses were in my devotional this morning and they are so appropriate that I just have to share my testimony about what happened at the retina institute yesterday. As I wrote previously, my ophthalmologist had diagnosed me with dry macular degeneration. My sister has the wet kind which leads to blindness and insisted that I go to see a retina specialist since mine is just starting. So, I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and three months later (yesterday) I got an appointment at the Retina Institute of Virginia. I had to be there alone because of restrictions about patients only, so I was really nervous. Where was my faith? It was still there, but the real me was anxious to find out what was going on with my eyes and what the solution would be, if any.

The first nurse was very nice, jovial and encouraging and explaining all the drops that she had to use in my eyes and how the ocular thing worked with pinholes in it. Then, I sat in a dark room for about ten minutes waiting for my imaging. The next lady was quite rude and impatient, but I prayed for me and for her to get through that part of the test and eventually we did. Next step, a dark room to wait to see the doctor and get his diagnosis of my condition.

I was there long enough to start being assailed by doubts and fears. Of course, it didn’t help that my sister has told me repeatedly for the last three months that I’m going to be blind. (She is not just a cup half empty person; her cup is also cracked and leaking.) Anyway, my answer was to pray and ask God for His presence to be really near me. I cannot say that I heard an audible voice but I did hear God speak to my heart to hold my hand out and He would hold it and be with me. Honestly, I have no idea what I was thinking, but I put my hand out on my lap and the Lord spoke to me and told me He had my hand and I was not alone and all would be okay, no matter the verdict from the doctor. I prayed quietly, thanking God for His comfort and calming presence. I can’t say that I felt the Lord holding my hand, but I felt comforted and knew He was there with me.

When the doctor came in, he showed me the photos of my eyes and told me that my left eye has a trace of macular but my right eye has no signs of it at all. He finished his exam and told me that he would see me in a year, that he’s pleased with the radiograph and the photos. My response was to thank him and to thank God, of course! He had me all along, even in that dark room where I was feeling so alone and frightened, He took my hand and spoke words of encouragement to me.

Naturally, when I called my sister to tell her, her response was negative. She informed me that the disease will get worse, there’s no cure, it will go into my right eye and I will go blind, just later instead of sooner. But you know what? I didn’t argue with her or point out to her that God is taking care of the whole situation for me. I knew that in my heart, but she doesn’t know or accept God and His truths, so I wanted to just hold His love for me close to me and enjoy it rather than listen to and accept her harsh words. Shortly thereafter, my husband arrived to take me home and my trial was over. I shared with him what had happened and he was like, “That’s good. That’s really good news.” The best news is that my faith was renewed (again) because God showed me not only that He is powerful but also that He cares about the tiny details in my life. Since I needed someone with me, He was that someone for me. Always there, never intrusive, always willing to console and encourage. That’s my God! I’m ashamed that I needed to be reminded, but I wanted to share my humanity with you all. I don’t have it all together all the time, but God does and knows just what I need and how to meet those needs.

May you be blessed today with the certain knowledge that God is with you, helping you and protecting you in all circumstances.

Answered Prayer

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song4 Comments

Doxology

And another verse from a devotional that I completed last year:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow

By Thomas Ken

Praise God the Father who’s the source;

Praise God the Son who is the course;

Praise God the Spirit who’s the flow;

Praise God, our portion here below!

I’m very blessed to report today that our daughter’s pathology report came back with clean margins. That means the surgeon got all of the carcinoma (yes, it was cancer) and that there is no reason to do more surgery or even more treatment. The news was better than I expected and I am so thankful for the prayers of friends, family and my online followers.

I must admit that I was praying all week (actually for the last month since we heard about the upcoming surgery) for our daughter and her family. And I managed to hold on to my faith, secure in the knowledge that whatever happened, God is in control. That is still true. In the big things, the small things, the things that we think won’t matter to God at all, He is concerned and makes Himself known in so many ways.

One last thing before I go. My husband and I have not been able to have a date in months because we have been taking our grandson out weekly and that is where any extra funds we have had is going. He is going into the USN on April 26th and we wanted to bless him before he deployed, to pour love and caring into his life. Anyway, Harry and I went out to lunch yesterday to celebrate the good news we heard from Hope. We went to a favorite restaurant that has the kind of food that I’m allowed to have and will cook it to order without salt or other seasonings for me. Well, the food was great but the service was awful! The waitress asked for our drink order but didn’t bring anything for twenty minutes. Then, when she finally returned with them, she brought me water instead of the tea that I had requested. Another ten or fifteen minutes passed and I got my tea. Another waitress then came out of the kitchen and approached our table with two hamburgers. Well, that was not what we had ordered, so she returned to the kitchen and after another twenty minutes or so, we got our food. Talk about not knowing what to expect next! Finally, after a long wait, we got our check and I told my husband (I was paying this time) that I was going to bless our waitress in spite of her shortcomings, so I gave her a large tip. My husband said that I was extending mercy and grace to her. Of course! Just as God does for me daily!

If you get the chance today, extend mercy and grace to someone who is irritating you. You will be blessed in your heart and soul because of your kindness to a stranger. Who knows? Maybe they’re having a bad day, just got bad news, or are struggling in ways that we cannot see. Everyone needs a blessing. God blesses each of us so that we can in turn reach out and be a blessing to others.

Have a blessed day, my friends and remember to go to church tomorrow.

My Friday Prayer

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

bible.com/bible/1171/psa.69.13.MEV

I pray that this is the prayer that is in each of our hearts. Sometimes I think that we expect God to answer our prayers immediately, like a genie in a bottle granting a wish. But God is not our personal genie. He is the God of the entire Universe and He answers in a way and time that makes sense for all of His creation. So, I’m depending on God’s mercy to hold me steady and strong while I wait for His answers. I pray that you are holding onto God and staying strong through whatever winds or storms may blow your way.

Have a blessed and glorious day in the Lord and may you produce fruit in your life for Him. May the prayers He answers for you be according to His truth and in His time!