Drop Everything & TELL!
“I also pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying,
(Deuteronomy 3: 23-24 NASB)
‘O Lord GOD,
You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand;
for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?”
We humans or should I say ‘wee’ small humans?
Humans—
We often think we are in control.
We think, ‘When I turn eighteen, then I will do what I want,’ or we may think, ‘When I’m twenty-one, then I’ll be old enough.’
BUT GOD!
HE CONTROLS—
- All Things!
- All Situations!
- All Life!
AND GOD!
HE HEARS—
- Our Prayers.
- Our Petitions.
- Our Pleas Deep into the Night.
We are little human beings who can TRUST GOD!
- In Every Situation.
- To Always Do the Right Thing.
- In Every Life.
- Even in the Saddest Moments. &
- Even in the Ones Filled with Joy.
Hannah wanted a child so badly, and if that was bad enough, her husband’s other wife rubbed her nose in the fact that she could produce many sons, but Hannah had none.
Very much so, I can identify with Hannah’s state of mind. No, I am not one of two wives, but yes, I totally remember how I felt when we were unable to become pregnant. Month after month and year after year—the anguish was real.
In the Bible, we can read how Hannah was led to pray, pleading with the Lord—
“She made a vow and said,
(The First Book of Samuel 1: 11 NASB)
“O LORD of hosts,
if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me,
and not forget Your maidservant,
but will give Your maidservant a son,
then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life,
and a razor shall never come on his head.”
During the first days of the semester, as I introduced the course and myself, who would serve as their instructor, I shared a small part of the way the LORD answered my prayer for a child, not once but twice. Is this not JUST LIKE GOD to provide for us a double-portion? !!!
Hannah desired a son, so she prayed, making a vow, a pledge, a promise with the LORD.
“if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, . . .
then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, . . .”
For the first five years of our marriage, I was content, enjoying life, just the two of us playing husband and wife. Then, sometime after that fifth wedding anniversary, I begin to think: ‘Okay, LORD, I am ready to have a child.’
- Year one passed and no baby came.
- Then year two.
- Then year three.
- Then year four.
- And then year five.
I could hardly believe that we were unable to have a child, so off to the gynecologist I went. The doctor came to a certain conclusion—There was a reason we were childless, but it was still possible to one day have a child.
- Year six passed and no baby came.
- Then year seven.
- Then year eight.
- Then year nine
- And then year ten.
So I cried out to the LORD—
‘Why not me, LORD? Am I not worthy, good enough to bring a child into this world?’
Now, I knew we were an US and not just a ME, but this barrenness felt personal. Maybe my husband felt the same. We often spoke of the children we desired, and I spoke of the six boys I wanted, the ones I just knew the LORD would give to live within our home.
Year eleven passed and still no baby came.
Then year twelve.
Then came the Saturday preceding Mother’s Day, and truly, I did not think I could attend church the next day because year after year, I remained seated while all the mothers stood. I was happy for them, but I was beyond sad for me.
On that bright Saturday before Mother’s Day 1998, I was in the unattached garage, working, when I saw my two sisters drive up and get out. They had brought my four nieces with them. We talked & we laughed, as usual, and then we came to the real reason for their visit.
THEY HAD BROUGHT ME A MOTHER’S DAY GIFT!
That day, while standing in my backyard, we shared a joyous time through our tears as they explained and encouraged me. They said, “You’ve been like a second mother to our girls, so we wanted to give you this Mother’s Day gift as our thank you.”
- I will NEVER forget their generous hearts! &
- I will ALWAYS remember the promise I have made to the LORD.
“O Lord GOD,
Please, Lord, hear my prayer. You know my heart’s desire, and You know how difficult Mother’s Day is to me. Lord, You know I desire a baby of my own.
I know You are able to do all things. Father, I realize that it may be that You do not want me to have children but only be a mother to the babies of others. God, if that is what You are asking of me, then I’ll be okay.
But, Lord, if You decide to give me a baby, then Lord, I promise to not complain when You take them far away.
Thank You, Lord, for hearing my prayer. Amen.”
Often, I have repeated this scene and this prayer, and I am still amazed at the way the LORD answered my prayer, not once but twice.
In 1999, our daughter Sydney was born. I knew she was an answer to my prayer, and I also knew that she was destined to become a missionary in Africa or somewhere else just as far. I enjoyed her childhood so much, and she did grow up to become a missionary, but not as we often think. You see, she married a military man who was stationed to serve his country—in Germany. If I wanted to hug my little girl, then I needed to purchase an expensive plane ticket, and travel more than ten hours to finally reach her house, but the expense and the journey was worth the cost. Our hugs remain precious to me.
Each year, I re-tell a portion of my story at the beginning of my semesters, leaving out the personal details and hitting the important one—GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS!
&
Today, I write my story and find myself continually amazed how GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYER, not once but TWICE!
In the LORD’S complete holiness, in a land far away, the LORD created another baby girl IN THAT SAME YEAR 1998. He gave her to a happy Dutch dad and mom. This little girl grew up speaking another language than me and living differently than I live, but the LORD placed a desire in this little girl’s heart to study abroad. Finally she convinced her parents to let her go. She traveled to America and in 2015, I met her for the first time when the guidance counselor walked her to my classroom.
Now, I know what you are thinking. It’s the same thought that most people have: ‘Oh, she’s your foreign exchange student,’ and she was, at first.
THEN SHE BECAME MY DAUGHTER.
I cannot explain how, but my Lord made a way & my Lord knows how.
Many years later, long after she moved back to her home country, and during one of our many conversations, I was sitting at the kitchen table, talking to her through WhatsApp, when she made a statement. At that very moment, it was as if the LORD was right there next to me, saying—
“Nancy, I answered your prayer, not once but twice.”
These two precious daughters live far away from me (one an 8-hour drive & one a journey of a 10-hour flight). At one point, both daughters lived in Europe, and truly, only God knows what the future holds. Nevertheless, every single day, I am reminded of my prayer, and the way my Lord answered my prayer.
I am also reminded of the promise I made to my Lord.
The LORD may say, “Yes, child.” or “No, child.” or “Not now, child, wait until another day.” However, HE responds to our prayers, we can rest on His Promise—THE LORD ALWAYS REMAINS FAITHFUL TO ANSWER!
GOD HEARS—
- Our Prayers.
- Our Petitions.
- Our Pleas Deep into the Night.
GOD CONTROLS—
- All Things!
- All Situations!
- All Life!
We can TRUST GOD!
- In Every Situation.
- To Always Do the Right Thing.
- In Every Life.
- In the Days Filled with Joy. &
- Even in the Saddest Moments of our lives.
The other day I spoke of a past struggle, one that still takes away my breath and one that quickens my heart, even now. I spoke of a trial the LORD allowed and helped me walk through, one that I did not think I could endure.
BUT, GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!
My Lord led me to see the truth of my sin, and He led me to repentance.
So after I relayed this journey when talking with our campus minister, after several minutes, he spoke these words:
“God is preparing you for something He wants you to do.”
His words landed deep inside my heart. I have evidence from my own life, from the trials He has walked me through.
As we get to the other side of our struggles, of our trials, of our testing, our refining, it is then when we can see with clarity how we are able—All Because of God’s Amazing Grace!
Just as Hannah prayed, let us be reminded how our children belong to God, how they are God’s gifts to us to enjoy as we live on earth. Let us strive daily to lead them to the Lord—Our Lord is Faithful!
If they see Jesus & if they give their hearts to Jesus &
as we share eternity with God, we will also share eternity with the sons and daughters God has given to us to love.
- Let us be faithful to share JESUS with our children.
- Let them see JESUS through our actions and our words.
- Let us Drop Everything & TELL the world about JESUS!
- Let us pray, as Hannah did.
“Then Hannah prayed and said,
(The First Book of Samuel 2: 1-2 NASB)
“My heart exults in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
There is no one holy like the LORD,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.”