The Impossibles

I have a prayer journal that sits under my bible. In this journal you will find folders, lists, scratchings, and yes, tear stained pages. I started my journal years ago when I realized my brain was not organized enough for all I wanted to do in my prayer life. Little did I know my journal would be just as unorganized as my mind, but at least it was on paper now. I have sections with names of missionaries and ministries that I pray for. There are individuals with physical ailments and those that I pray for spiritual healing. Each family member has a page with very detailed and specific needs and desires listed under their name. I have written out prayers to the Lord when my mouth could not utter the words. I have scribbled verses that meant something to me and I wanted to come back to them later on. I have names that I have crossed out because someone has been healed, whether here on earth or on their journey to heaven.
My prayer journal is precious to me.
But hidden in the very back of the binder is a single page labeled Impossibles. It is here where I have perspired, worried, and sat in disbelief that God could even answer these requests. But I have continued to pray. My list has only 5 requests. And one, after 4 years, has finally been answered. And not only answered, but God surpassed my request.
In 2016, when we moved to Virginia, we had a real hard time finding a rental home. The selections were few, the prices were high, and we were getting weary with the whole process. An idea popped in my head that terrified my husband: why don’t we buy? Having lived in rentals and base housing our whole marriage, we would really be stepping out of our comfort zone. But as the days kept ticking by and as our hotel walls began to close in on us, we decided we would start poking around at houses for sale.
Fast forward to the present, we are now packing up our beautiful gift of a home that has served us well the last four years. The house was a foreclosure and though there was a lot of work that needed to be done, we can honestly say we enjoyed the process of renovations and decorating.
When we went to put the house on the market, we followed the lead of our realtor and put up our asking price. Here is where God rolled up his sleeves and got to work. You see, the day we moved into this home, my husband was still nervous that we made a mistake and would financially pay for the decision. So I opened my “Impossibles” page and asked God to help us make a certain amount of money off of the house. It wasn’t about money. It was about God validating that we obeyed and did the right thing. Every time I would pray for this amount, I also asked God to use our home as a place of service, ministry, and love. We have not been perfect by any means, but we can honestly say we have tried to be good stewards of what God has given.
We have sold our house and not only has God answered my prayer, but He has doubled it. More than doubled it.
Putting aside the fact that we now a nice down payment for the next house and a few extra dollars in our pocket, I find the most wonderful parts of this journey have been the lessons that I would have missed out on if I hadn’t just asked God.
He loves to show Himself to me.
God, in all His power and glory, still loves to show His presence in my life, whether seemingly big or small. He loves to share part of who He is through my requests and pleas.
He loves to bless us.
Just as I love giving gifts to my children, so much more God loves to gift us his most precious blessings. I imagine Him smiling as we unwrap the rewards of our hard work and even more, seeing the gifts we get when we have done nothing at all.
He can do it all.
God proves Himself, especially in the things that seem could never happen. I see this as His specialty, diving into the hard, impenetrable ground, and retrieving a diamond for us.
I encourage you, dear reader, to ask. God is in the business of impossibilities. He is simply waiting for us to come and ask Him to do a thing. And though it is not easy for us to be patient and wait, the reward is totally worth it.
I am looking forwarding to adding a couple more things to my list of “Impossibles” this year.