When You Pray...

... for direction while resting in God's will and His Word, rest assured He will never let you down.

Last week I posted on facebook that a girl's night out sounded like fun. I had second thoughts about it, and decided to delete it because, well ... what if someone I didn't really care to have dinner with took me up on the offer? (insert mischievous face here)

A minute later my friend Amanda posted on her status that facebook wasn't letting her comment on mine, but that she was all about coming, so I re posted.

I've never been so glad of having second and third thoughts!

Through the course of the conversation two girls that I knew in college, whom I have become close to in recent years thanks to blogging and facebook and, well, ultimately God causing our paths to cross once again, commented on how fun that would be. I just mentioned in passing that I would love to go out to dinner with them to P.F. Changs, a restaurant they have posted about enjoying that we don't have here in WI. And that, Hey! Come to think of it, I'd never been to New York! How fun would THAT be?!

The next night after giving it some serious thought I brought it up to Josh. His response surprised me. He didn't say no right away. I know that he doesn't like me going out of town without him any more than I like him going without me, but I decided to write to Tisa, the friend I'd be staying with, to ask her to pray that God would make a way if He wanted me to go, and if not that He would make that clear, too. At the time we had the money for a great deal I had found on a plane ticket.

Not an hour later, Alia threw a rock at Jordan's bedroom window, and the cost of the window was more than the cost of my ticket.

I was fine with it because I had prayed. And I honestly didn't want to go if the LORD wasn't in it. I've tried to push my will in things like this before in hopes of rest and relaxation only to be rewarded with more stress than the trip was worth. But I've also experienced how supernaturally fulfilling, and restful, and amazing time away is when God is in it. I peacefully accepted that the answer was probably "No, not this time."

One of the things Josh wanted me to avoid if I did go was a lay-over because my arrival time both there and back would have ended up in the early morning hours. A nonstop ticket cost about $60 more, and in our minds we were doing good to afford the cheaper ticket. So again, it seemed that everything was pointing to an answer of "no".

I was a little disappointed. It just seemed like the perfect plan, "if only it were God's will." Three of my friends live within an hour of each other, and another friend that I met through my blog lives near where I would have been staying, so I might have gotten to meet her, too. But, by God's grace, I put a smile on my face, thanked the Lord anyway for so clearly answering my prayer, and went on my merry way.

First thing Monday morning, ironically after I had been praying for wisdom on how I could be a blessing to my hubby that day, he called me and said that he was buying the ticket to New York! Shortly after he had arrived at work he received a notice stating that the exact amount we needed for the nonstop plane ticket had (unexpectedly) posted to our checking account! He was being compensated for driving the van to and from St. Paul for a week instead of the company vehicle some weeks before. It was twice the amount we had expected, and it had posted to our account that morning after we had both prayed about it!!!

My biggest concern was finding someone to watch my kids. My friend, Deena, reassured me that the Lord is just as interested in providing for our wants as He is for our needs, and promised to pray with me about childcare. It turned out that I leave late enough on Friday that we won't need anyone to watch them then. And at church the day before my sweet friend, that I love like a sister and who also happens to be eight months pregnant, ASKED me to let her have my kids for the 16th when I mentioned the possibility of going away!!! They'll spend the night at her house Sunday evening, and Josh will be able to get them after work before he leaves to come pick me up in Minneapolis at 8:30 Monday night!

God saw to it that every last detail was taken care of to a "T", and each one was worked out within an hour of getting off my knees in prayer Monday morning!

The cherry on top was an advertisement for P.F. Changs popping up as soon as I got my flight confirmation. I've never seen one before. I will never get over being surprised by God's answers to prayer. It's just too much fun!

My LORD is awesome!!!

Deena, Tisa, Chris, and Jess, I cannot wait to see you all and what the weekend holds for us. All I can say is, our Father sure does love us! I can't help but praise Him, with tears!!!