when answers come

I know God has always been answering our prayers in some form.  However, it would seem in the months we've lived here in Nassau, God has answered in faster and bigger ways than we have previously experienced.  Or perhaps, as we grow in the area of gratitude, we are simply more aware?

Yesterday the fruition of prayers both simple and complex seemed to surface.  The simple? Friends who stayed a few days with us told us they were "leaving the ipod touch...5th generation" for us to keep.  Shocked, stunned, overwhelmed were we.  Just a month ago, Kristin had her purse ransacked and lost her camera.  Not a great camera, but it was all she had.  So she prayed for a replacement of some kind.  She's also been praying for some way to video some of the church happenings here so that we could share them on facebook or the blog...  And how does God answer?  By bringing these generous friends to us and putting it on their hearts to leave their nearly-new ipod with us.  We are blessed beyond words!  Thank you Anthony and Yvette Rood!!

Secondly, on Sunday, our lead pastor was away and Keith was preaching.  During our worship time, Eduardo, the security guard who often watches over our parking lot at Kingdom life, walks in and joins us.  We have gotten to know this young man, given him a book on the gospel to read, taken him food while he's on duty, given him rides home, and prayed for him.  Eduardo is a Jehovah's Witness.  But he came to our church on Sunday where he heard the gospel very clearly preached.  Last night at monthly prayer, it struck me that for months we've been praying for God to help us evangelize.  One particular prayer I remember praying was, "Lord, we don't have any fancy strategies for how to do this evangelism well, but you can simply bring people to our doors to hear the gospel.  Would you do that Lord?"  Just as I was sharing this with another friend, Eduardo walked in again to let us know he was heading home from being on guard.  We all waved goodbye to him.  I turned to my friend and said, "God brought Eduardo to our door."

We never know what God is planning.  But prayer is the key that unlocks our hearts to be conformed to God's ways.  As we pray in His will, to His ends, He delights to answer as he sees fit.  We are learning so much about prayer.  And we are challenged to pray more, pray endlessly, pray big.  God help us to have enlarged vision as we pray for Your kindgom to come on this earth!