Many years ago, The Boss and I were blessed to host a small group in our home for single folks in their 20's and 30's. They met for weekly teaching, encouragement and fellowship. We loved having them every Sunday night. They hung out in our family room, prayed together, worshipped together, and grew tremendously in their faith. I gave birth to LadyBug and to Baby BlueEyes during those years and this crowd took wonderful care of us by bringing meals, babysitting, loving on my babies, and playing with the older boys. Some of them formed wonderful, doting relationships with my children. Many of them came and went with a good deal of sporadic attendance, which we expected from that age and stage of life.
However, a couple of them really dug in to those regular connection times. And in doing so, burrowed their way deeply into our hearts. Relationships formed with these few that continue on today. In fact, a couple of the gals that I was particularly close to came to visit last weekend and my whole home felt refreshed and anointed from their time with us. These gals have grown in the Lord and in His power and they both are treasures in my life.
Then there were the guys. A couple of them became my special prayer focus. I'm not sure exactly why, but from the early days of forming relationship with them, the Lord gave me a strong desire to pray for their future. I knew them well enough to know how deeply they desired to be husbands and fathers. So that's how I prayed. For many years, I prayed for loving wives and fruitful homes while I rocked my babies and listened to their praise and worship floating up from the family room below me. I prayed for walls that echoed with laughter and giggles while I watched them run around the back yard with my little ones. While cleaning up the kitchen after the last goodnight on our Sundays together, I prayed blessing and favor over their relationships. I prayed when I saw them holding my baby girl (and shamelessly spoiling her, I might add!). I prayed and I prayed.
This Sunday, I got to wrap my arms around a dear friend, known to many of you as Classic Mama. I've told her this before, but I was reminded yet again of the hours spent praying for her before I even knew she existed. I prayed for years and years for God to send a wonderful, loving, passionate, godly woman to my dear friend, Not-So-Classic. He felt like a brother to me, and I knew he had it inside of him to be a husband and daddy of excellence. I wasn't wrong, was I? And this Sunday, I got to hug (again) an answer to some of my most treasured prayers.
And later after the service, I got the honor of holding in my arms this beautiful little bundle of chubby cheeks and answered prayers. When my dear friend handed me his new baby girl, the floodgates opened and I could hardly see her sweet little face for the tears that filled my eyes. The only words I could speak over her were these, "You are a blessing from the Lord. You are an answer to my prayers. I have prayed for you a long, long time." (This friend didn't know it, but back on the day that he married his sweetheart, I was a similar wreck of tears and grateful praise!)
This Sunday morning, I held an answer to my prayers in my hands. And she was beyond beautiful.
However, a couple of them really dug in to those regular connection times. And in doing so, burrowed their way deeply into our hearts. Relationships formed with these few that continue on today. In fact, a couple of the gals that I was particularly close to came to visit last weekend and my whole home felt refreshed and anointed from their time with us. These gals have grown in the Lord and in His power and they both are treasures in my life.
Then there were the guys. A couple of them became my special prayer focus. I'm not sure exactly why, but from the early days of forming relationship with them, the Lord gave me a strong desire to pray for their future. I knew them well enough to know how deeply they desired to be husbands and fathers. So that's how I prayed. For many years, I prayed for loving wives and fruitful homes while I rocked my babies and listened to their praise and worship floating up from the family room below me. I prayed for walls that echoed with laughter and giggles while I watched them run around the back yard with my little ones. While cleaning up the kitchen after the last goodnight on our Sundays together, I prayed blessing and favor over their relationships. I prayed when I saw them holding my baby girl (and shamelessly spoiling her, I might add!). I prayed and I prayed.
This Sunday, I got to wrap my arms around a dear friend, known to many of you as Classic Mama. I've told her this before, but I was reminded yet again of the hours spent praying for her before I even knew she existed. I prayed for years and years for God to send a wonderful, loving, passionate, godly woman to my dear friend, Not-So-Classic. He felt like a brother to me, and I knew he had it inside of him to be a husband and daddy of excellence. I wasn't wrong, was I? And this Sunday, I got to hug (again) an answer to some of my most treasured prayers.
And later after the service, I got the honor of holding in my arms this beautiful little bundle of chubby cheeks and answered prayers. When my dear friend handed me his new baby girl, the floodgates opened and I could hardly see her sweet little face for the tears that filled my eyes. The only words I could speak over her were these, "You are a blessing from the Lord. You are an answer to my prayers. I have prayed for you a long, long time." (This friend didn't know it, but back on the day that he married his sweetheart, I was a similar wreck of tears and grateful praise!)
This Sunday morning, I held an answer to my prayers in my hands. And she was beyond beautiful.
5 comments:
So very sweet!! I love how God has shown you the fruit of your prayers!!
Oh my dear, I can't wait to write a post like this. Our teens from our small group (we led them from eighth through twelfth grade) are all getting ready to graduate from college. And I pray for them, so often. I can't wait to see those prayers answered in their lives.
thank you for writing this. It is an encouragement for me to continuwe pressing in on my prayers and to not give up. Thanks Trac.
Well, nothing like crying into your salad over lunch at work! This is one piece of sweet fruit who is SO grateful for your faithfulness to pray and pour into our lives! Your love made a *huge* difference during hard years when being embraced by family was just the remedy needed. Much love, Elise
I am so grateful that your family hosted our small group "back in the day!" You were always so loving and accepting to all of us! It is so neat to see where God has led all of us! Thank you for all of your prayers!
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