Am I really reading the same book for the 5th time? The first time was in 2010 and the coolest thing about this book is it is signed by the author. "Paige--your the One! Priscilla Num 14:24-30. I guess I can say this is my favorite book written by a Christian author because it has impacted my life every time I have read it and each time I read it I get a new message. The highlighter color has to be changed each time though. That was my prayer in 2010: "to be one in a million", which is the title of the book, by Priscilla Shirer. Oh, I forgot to brag that I had my picture taken with her too!
In 2014, I am still praying the same prayer. My life is on a different path that feels like another wilderness journey, so I suspect God lead me to hunt the book down for another read. Reading in chapter nine this morning, I came across my handwritten notes that caused me to read it over several times and tears began to flow. Let me share with you what I read prior to seeing my scribbles in the margin:
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember Your abundant kindnesses, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea....They quickly forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel....but grumbled in their tents; they did not listen to the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 106:7, 13, 25).
"And what they missed as a result were numerous opportunities to recognize what God had done, what He was presently doing, and what He was still yet to do. God can and does move on behalf of His people. These thirsty in-between times when you are trudging through a particularly rough or stagnant patch have not fallen on you by mistake. He is making a way for His greatness to be seen, for His glory to be put on full display--a way for you to experience in real time what He promises to be when you're sitting on the pew, hoping it's true."
"What are you asking God to do for you at this season of life? What would you say you most desire if you were able to verbalize ever series of circumstances you're being called to walk through these days?"
My answer was scribbled in the margin.
2010
1) Healing
1) Healing
2) Debt
3) Kids' hearts toward God
My thought immediately was Wow! These were all answered prayer.
Healing didn't quite happen as I prayed it would. Pat was healed of cancer on the other side of Heaven, but there was much healing done here while he was still on this earth. Healing began in many of the lives Pat touched, including me and the kids.
Debt was taken care of fully and completely but not the timeline I had hoped for. That was certainly a wilderness journey, and as I look back I can see how God had His hand in every step that was taken. His lessons were invaluable.
Kids's hearts toward God is clearly being seen as God has taken the worse tragedy a child could imagine and use it to draw them to Himself, while molding and changing them to be women and men of God. Although they miss their dad each and every day, God is working in their lives.
Promises were fulfilled and prayers were answered. God showed me again today through my scribbles how faithful and good He is and a reminder that He never changes. No matter what I am going through now, I have to trust Him and stand on the other promises that He has given me while I continue in my journey.
"When we pray for what we most wish to happen, we can trust with absolute assurance that He will either act according to our prayer....or do something better. He will either bless us with what we want, or He'll bless us with what we really need and change our hearts to desire what He's given. He alone knows what will get us most prepared for our next stage of abundant living, what will draw us nearest to Him in fellowship and intimacy, what will cause His glory to burst upon the stage of our lives with weighty significance where everybody who wants to can see it. We can totally rely on Him to take us exactly where we need to go....if we'll only be wiling to follow.
"You can stand in the midst of uncertainty, trusting that you are safe in your Father's arms."
In His Grip,
