This week's Memorial Box {Monday} story is one of my favorites. It struck me as I was preparing to type this, that so many of the Crazy Love Prayer Challenge requests were financial. This story will pump you up and remind you that God does indeed provide for His kids!
First though, I have to tell you the whole story. For many years I prayed for a prayer partner. I am so passionate about prayer. I am convinced that God not only loves when we pray, but He also loves when we agree together in prayer with a partner.
So many years ago I began to ask the Lord for a prayer partner. I asked the Lord that she be someone that would come to me and ask me first. I didn't want to pursue a prayer partner and make them feel like they "had to" accept the offer {cause I was the pastor's wife - sigh!!}. I wanted someone who loved prayer as much as I do, believed in the power of prayer and she would have to ask me first.
For years I prayed that prayer.
Nada.
Nothing.
I was pretty dumbfounded. But my prayer remained firm.
Then, a few years back I was mentoring a small group of young women at a coffee shop early, early one morning each week. One of the young women was named Chelsea. She was such a delight. She passionately loved Christ. She prayed with passion. And then one day she asked me if I would consider being her prayer partner. I was elated! Finally, finally, finally, my prayers were answered.
That was just about 5 years ago. And so once a week Chelsea and I meet to pray together. We meet at a local coffee shop at 6:15am. In almost 5 years we've both overslept and missed our time together only once. We love each other and we love praying together.
We have prayed through some tough seasons in each others life. We have cried together on so many occasions....we have fasted together.....we have stood in faith together....we have texted in the middle of the night when needs were great....and most importantly - I know that I can tell Chels anything and with this girl? - Yup mums the word!! Someone could shove matches under her finger nails and light them and she would not budge! Loyal.
Anyway, recently Chelsea and her husband and two kids {her youngest recently adopted *oh sweet joy*} have had to move out of state {Lord willing temporarily} for her husband to have work. Our hearts have really struggled as we wondered what this would mean to our prayer partnership....and then Chelsea had an idea...what about Skyping? So the plan is to meet in our closets {in our two different states!!} via Skype and pray together - once a week!
Hey - where there is a will - there is a way!!
The day Chelsea was moving she came by to pick up her baby girl {that we had been caring for} and I asked her for a quick picture. Hardly dressed for the occasion - but I just wanted you to see my sweet friend...
Anyway, on with this amazing story....
Chelsea's husband is a contractor. Work has been slow. Actually almost a standstill.
Chelsea and her husband were needing to sell their home. Badly. But they had to finish remodeling it to get it finished and ready to sell. So one day we were meeting to pray and Chelsea was talking about needing to finish the house to sell it. They needed the resources to finish the remodel....and there was no money in sight. And of course, with the remodel not done, then they couldn't put it on the market and then it wouldn't sell.
Like so many of you, the situation was desperate!! Hugely desperate!
So while Chelsea was telling me this request, I said to Chelsea,
"How much exactly do you need to finish?"
Without pausing she said, "$10,000.00"
Ten thousand?
Yup.
Ten thousand.
And they needed it right away!
God's word says we must ask in faith specifically.
So we finished sharing our requests and bowed our heads to pray. We prayed with fervor. We prayed with expectancy. We prayed with passion. And we prayed for $10,000. exactly.
After our prayer time we headed our separate ways.
Within about 2 hours, Chelsea's number came up on my cell.
This was highly unusual...we had just parted ways....
I couldn't imagine what was up as I answered my phone...
And on the other end it was her....yelping with joy...
And here's what she squealed...
"Linn!! You are not gonna' believe this!!
You.are.not!!
Guess what?
The mailman came by not long after I got home from prayer.....
and
he handed us an envelope...
and inside the envelope? Linn!!
You aren not gonna' believe this!
You.are.not!!
I opened it up and guess what? There was a check inside!
It was from the IRS...
They said we overpaid them and guess how much it was for?
GUESS!?!!
Inside was a check for $10.000.00.
Really?
$10,000.00
Exactly what we had prayed for just hours before.
Not weeks. Not months.
Hours.
Chelsea and Pete were able to finish their home and shortly thereafter, the Lord allowed them to sell it!
I still gasp as I think about this....$10,000? Only a couple of hours after we prayed!!
They had no idea that the IRS had done the math and yet it was true!
Only our Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring,
Gasp-giving God could orchestrate all this...
And the amazing thing is that He has a miracle for you. He does.
Promise.
And if you don't have a prayer partner, ask God to provide one. And then get together and pray....and watch what He does!!
What about you? What has God done for you? Please do share your Memorial Box story with us.
Post your permalink below...The stories people post are total faith builders to all who read.
