Day 7 - An unexpected answer to prayer!

My story for today is actually TODAY'S story!  Not from a few years ago, or many years ago.  But actually from this week.  This picture of Ken and I with his dad, was taken last year when we visited him.  I have been feeling so strongly that we needed to get to Florida to see him again this year.  But we had many, many obstacles in our way.  Even before I lost my job, we just were not seeing any way to plan another trip.  We had decided that we did not want to do the "same old trip" to celebrate our 40th anniversary.  That is why we ended up in Canada.  Another obstacle to an added vacation was that Ken's company is relocating to a different building.  This move is really a big deal (think big, expensive, delicate and fragile equipment that has to be packed, moved, set up and recalibrated.  Yes, this is a lot of stress.) And of course, the exact dates of this move kept changing, which certainly added to the stress.  So anytime I tried to approach the subject of going to Florida, Ken was just unwilling to talk about it.  I understood why he was reluctant.  Then when I lost my job, it sort of made the thought of a trip, well impossible. 

As I have mentioned, I have been looking for a new job.  But there has been nothing out there!  Applications have been filled out, resumes sent, emails and faxes, yet there have been not calls.  I have had the feeling that the exact job just was not ready yet.  And I have had peace in it all. 

Then, Ken came home and mentioned that he has to travel to a business meeting in North Carolina, in the beginning of August.  I started to think about the possibility of combining this trip with a vacation to Florida.  Before I could even mention it, Ken suggested it!  Suddenly, I was very glad that I wasn't at the beginning of a new job.  That would have made it impossible for me to take two weeks off. 

Isn't it amazing how Jesus works?  All this time, the reason that I haven't found work, was to allow me the freedom to travel to see Ken's dad.  And since Ken's travel is already work related, it wasn't a problem to add some vacation time to this trip. 

The icing on the cake answer to prayer was finding out that a gift certificate we received for an ocean resort was going to be honored!   This was amazing because the certificate actually expired YESTERDAY!  I called yesterday and explained that we were going to be able to be in Florida in August and asked if they would honor this, and they said YES!  With no hassle, no trouble, nothing!  It was just a simple, "Sure, we'll honor that!"  Wow, I was overwhelmed.  Ken and I will be able to have some time at the ocean to just relax.  What a gift.

So, this is truly an answer to prayer.  Not only will we get to see Ken's dad, we will get a much needed rest at my favorite location - the ocean.  And Ken will get some much needed time to recover from the stress of his work situation.  I am sure that the exact right job for me will show up after we get back from our trip. 

Jesus, thank you so much for knowing our hearts and making those sometimes hidden things come to pass for us.  Jesus, thank you for this amazing gift of time away to spend with family.  Thank you for Ken's job and for your grace and provision during this stressful time.  Thank you for favor for us with Ken's company and also favor at that resort.  Bless all who had a part in making this trip possible.  Thank you Jesus for unexpected and joyful surprises!  Amen

A door opens and the way becomes clearer.....

You know how sometimes you just can't predict what a day holds? Well, today was supposed to be just a normal Saturday and we didn't really have any big plans.  So we went to breakfast, which is our usual on a Saturday morning.  We did a small amount of shopping and errands and we even drove into Chicago for a special sale.  After getting home and eating a quick lunch, I worked on some stuff for my second job.  I had a couple of phone calls and some text messages.  After dinner, my husband and I decided to take a quick drive to a local forest preserve to see a sunset. It was a beautiful end to this day. This sounds like a pretty normal but boring day doesn't it? 

Here's the best part of this day.  I have had an issue - a problem - that didn't seem to have any solution.  It is something that I have been thinking and praying about for a long time.  Like over a year.  Today, in the midst of the "normal" day, I felt as if a door was opened and suddenly, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel of this situation.  In the midst of the other things in my day, the Holy Spirit began to speak into my spirit some answers to the problem.  Just yesterday I felt as if I had a blank sheet of paper on this and today, there is a list of possible solutions.  I  realized that this is really a miracle!  This is one of those things that sometimes, we just miss the great things that God does for us.  When I was least expecting an answer to this, when I wasn't looking for the treasure map to get through the mine fields of this issue, that is when Jesus spoke into my spirit. The issue isn't gone, but now I feel as if the path is clearer.   

Today I want to give hope and encouragement to anyone who might have something that seems so deep and dark and impossible that you feel that it will not be resolved. Jesus is listening to your cry and he will answer. Nothing is impossible with God.  I think that part of my answer was in the "normal".  I refused to let the problem become so great that it covered over the normal things that are in my life.  And I trusted that there would be a solution or a direction that I needed to go.   

I love the way the answers to prayers come in the everyday things.  I love that we are surprised when there is a "suddenly" provided by the Holy Spirit.  I have personally received some pretty amazing answers to prayer that came "immediately" - including a dramatic healing of asthma.  But today, I am celebrating the miracle of an answer when I did not expect it. And I am celebrating in the process of the answer.   

Thank you , thank you Jesus.  You are simply wonderful.  I am so grateful tonight for the way that you bring wisdom and revelation and direction to get to solutions to problems that seem impossible.  Yahweh, bring your hope and encouragement to those who are in the midst of seemingly impossible situations.  Jesus it is your faith that we need!  Thank you for the light at the end of the tunnel.  Jesus, you are the light of the world.  Thank you for giving us your life and your light.  Amen