A Yard + Windows

A few weeks ago I was drinking a hot coffee standing at the window, watching the kids play outside in the snow. It was a simple moment but I was filled with so much gratitude for the Lord and what He had given me in that moment, specific details that I had prayed for, were answered prayers in that moment.

I texted a friend who had prayed alongside me for what I was currently living and sent her the picture you see at the top of the post and just said “remember when we prayed for this”. She said yes and we agreed on God’s faithfulness. We agreed that God delights in giving us the desires of our hearts. That He listens to our prayers and the details in our prayers and delights in meeting those needs.

I am writing this post partially for you and partially for me. One reason I love writing and sharing and documenting my life, is because I like to remember God’s faithfulness. This remembering is especially important in seasons of waiting. When I am in a season of waiting, and the enemy starts to tempt me with fear, I can go back to what I have documented about the goodness of God and speak the truth that I have experienced, over the fear.

James 1:2-4 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I love this piece of scripture from James reminding us that our trials produce perseverance. Trials are not always fun to walk through but the Bible tells us we can choose joy because of what is being produced through the trial.

Last spring when we were looking for the next place we would live when we left Saint Martins in June, it was getting close to the date we needed to be out of the house, like a few weeks until we needed to move. I was praying and trying to trust God but there were definitely moments of fear and darkness that took my mind spiralling in the wrong direction regarding where we would live next. As I prayed though, one of the specific things I prayed for was a home with a yard and windows where I could watch the kids play outside. I was so grateful for this in the homes I had lived in so far and my children love playing outside and having that freedom on their own. As we got closer to the date when we would need to leave the Saint Martin house, we started to brainstorm ideas about where would live next, while we continued to look for the right house. At one point Tyler suggested living in a trailer for the summer and doing a little adventuring. While the adventure part sounded exciting and if this was what we needed to do, I would do it, I also really struggled to picture this for my summer and prayed it would not come to that. I am not a camping girl, I prefer hotels.

I continued to pray for our perfect next home, fought mental fear battles in the waiting and asked friends to pray over our situation for us as well.

Then here I am, a little less than a year later, experiencing the Lords provision for exactly what I prayed for and I am just floored at the Lord’s goodness and also blown away by my humanness and ability to lose trust in the Lord when things get a little unclear at times. I want to know everything, I want to know the plans He has for me, or do I? Do I really want to know all the plans? I am starting to think no, I am starting to have a greater appreciation that I don’t know all the plans the Lord has for me because I am not sure I would follow through on small steps of obedience, if I always knew what was coming. The Lord is so good to prepare me as I go. And He is so good, to listen to the desires of my heart and provide for me at just the right time.

I am on a journey of learning to trust God. So I am grateful for the the development of perseverance in the area of faith through times of unknown. I am on a journey of learning to let go of control. I am on a journey of learning to focus on myself, my responsibilities and what the Lord is asking me to do. The more I walk along this road, the more I am grateful I am not God and that God is God and that I get to be me. I still fight for the reigns at times but moments like this make me grateful I get to do life with The Holy Spirit. Fear has no hold on me because if it did, I would truly be lost. So Praise God for the way He draws us close and reveals His greatness to us even if that is through trials and challenges.

I would love to know about your answered prayer moments, would you share them in the comments.

xoxo

Heather