Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

Front Page Headlines

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Psalm 93:1a “The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.”

Throughout the years the daily news has provided fodder for the daily ritual of reading the newspaper. The black and white newsprint picked up at the local store or delivered directly to the house has enlightened many to world events and local news. Births, deaths, and other activities fill the columns. And in a small town especially we rejoice and grieve, give and share, and laugh and cry with each other in the daily experiences of life chronicled in those pages.

With children in school it has been especially fun to read the articles related to sporting events. Abigail’s volleyball team has done so well this season. After a big game it is exciting to grab the newspaper and read the reporter’s view of the game. The words become even more special if your name is mentioned in the column. Those articles deserve to be cut out and hung on the fridge!

Recently while reading Psalm 93 I couldn’t help but think about how great our God is. He is far above and beyond what any human being could imagine. His name, His attributes, and His feats all warrant the front page headline of any newspaper.

Our Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. He firmly established the world and it cannot be moved. He is the King whose throne was established long ago and He reigns from eternity and onward.

All of creation lifts up His name. The seas lift up their voices. They pound the ocean sand with mighty applause to express their praise of all His works. The Lord on high is mightier than even the strongest hurricane and powerful wind. His laws stand firm forever and utter holiness adorns His house. How great is our God!!

Tomorrow if you receive the daily newspaper, peruse the headlines. There will be much to consider. But when you are finished, pick up your Bible, read Psalm 93, and listen to the words about our God! Read about Who He is and what He has done. See His name in the front page headlines of Scripture and rejoice. Hang these words on your fridge for all to see because this great and mighty God is our Father and we belong to Him.

Love,

Mama

 

How Valuable is Your Stuff?

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Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will he not also with Him freely give us all things?”

A good portion of my job deals with people’s stuff! I don’t mean that I am dealing with people who have specific issues in life, but with people who own a lot of stuff. In other words – chattel, material goods, personal property – STUFF!

Regularly our company will receive a call from a person who has to liquidate some or all of his or her belongings. Sometimes this person has moved and needs to downsize. Other times there has been a death in the family and the unneeded or unwanted possessions must be disposed of in a timely matter. Business liquidations, divorces . . . you name it. Our crew responds to these calls by going to the home, boxing up the items, moving them to our Event Center, and on a specific day selling the items at auction. In just a few hours all the stuff is gone!

One by one the items are sold and the purchase price is determined by the amount that the bidders are willing to pay. Some items bring a decent amount of money while others, such as box lots of household goods, bring a small sum. Often it is easy to predict how much a certain piece will sell for – but every once in a while something crazy happens, and an ordinary item will sky rocket in price. Two or more bidders will volley back and forth until it sells for much more than expected.

Why does this happen? Occasionally it is because there is some sentimental meaning to the purchase. Family members or friends will join the bidding war hopefully to acquire the piece that reminds them of a loved one or special experience. The memory or feeling of the bidders and the price they are willing to pay determines the worth and value of the item.

There is a spiritual bidding war going on in the world today. Satan, our enemy, desires to acquire the soul of each human. This liar tries to keep our price down by constantly reminding us of our unworthiness: “You are failures and worth less than a box lot of stuff,” he whispers in our ears. But the truth of the matter is that all humanity was made in the image of God and this makes us valuable to Him.

Falling into sin tarnished us, but God loved us so much that He was willing to pay the highest price to buy us back. He did not spare His own Son, but sent Him to earth to die in our place and to purchase us back with His blood. What we look like, what we’ve done, or what we’ve accomplished is of no consequence. To God we are not just stuff to be discarded, but people of inestimable value.

How valuable is your stuff? While our company can’t guarantee what your items will sell for, I can tell you this: you, God’s creation made in His image, are very valuable and of great worth! God made the highest bid when He sent His only Son to purchase you with His blood. And nobody can top that bid!

Love,
Mama

 

My Couch Potato Days

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Hebrews 4:9 “So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.”

Being a couch potato is not a good thing – usually. But there are times when we need and benefit from extended periods of rest. These times can refresh us physically, but they can also give us opportunities to de-clutter our minds and reprioritize our lives.

Three weeks ago I had surgery on my foot, and, consequently, I was forced to become a couch potato. While there have been some hurdles to overcome in this situation – boredom, muscle atrophy, and general immobility – there have been many benefits. Sometimes we must be forced to rest from the whirlwind American life. In my time of forced inactivity God has reminded me that an attitude of rest should be characteristic of a Christian’s life whether I am on the couch or living life as usual.

Hebrews 4 reminds us of the failure of God’s chosen people to enter His rest. Their disobedience caused them to forfeit their opportunity. After years of wandering in the wilderness, all adults, with the exception of two, died in the wilderness and only those the age of twenty and under finally arrived at the Promised Land.

The chapter goes on to speak of another rest – one in which we can all enter if we are obedient to the Lord. My recent couch potato life gave me time to consider these different types of rest that are available for God’s children every day.

  1. Stopping Work – Americans tend to applaud those who work the hardest and the longest. These people are considered successful and committed. They are up for the raises and promotions. But God calls us to stop ourselves intentionally on a weekly basis and rest. Christians must keep this time of “Sabbath Rest” if we want to experience the best that God has for us.
  2. Refreshment – Taking time to rest from our work creates space to rejuvenate our bodies and our minds. We then have the ability to enjoy our family, friends, and other gifts from God. The joy of life fills us as we take a break and just breath.
  3. Spiritual Realignment/Worship – Times of solitude can serve to focus our minds on God. A quiet walk allows us to hear the birds and view creation with an eye to the greatness of the Creator. Jesus took time to get away from the constant pressures of the crowds to speak to His Father. We, too, should get away to worship and refocus our hearts on the One who made us and loves us.
  4. Freedom from worry and anxiety – Resting in the Lord is giving Him all our cares and concerns. Daily we should be bringing our anxieties to Him in prayer and leaving them with Him. He promises peace and rest to the burdened souls who come to Him with an attitude of trust.
  5. Letting go of human control – When we strive to control all areas of life, we are not resting. By relinquishing our desire to manipulate everything we will receive great peace. In order to do this we must understand that God is the ultimate authority. He has power over everything and He loves us greatly. Nothing that  happens to us that has slipped through His fingers unnoticed.
  6. Death – We can rest from our fear of death by accepting and trusting in God’s plan of salvation. For the believer the best is yet to come. When we leave this world behind we will experience the ultimate rest from our labors. We will live in heaven – a place where there are no tears, no pain, and no sorrow. This is the final rest to which we are all called.

I am about at the end of my couch potato days for now. Slowly but surely I will be returning to the regular rhythm of life. But I want to remember – and I want you all to experience – the daily abiding rest that God offers to all of His children. Cultivate this attitude in obedience to God’s commands, couch potato or not, and you will be blessed!

Love,

Mama

See Dictionary of Biblical Imagery edited by Ryken, Wilhout, Tremper, & Longman III for more on this subject.

Forgiving and Forgetting

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Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

“When you wake up from the anesthesia you will not remember anything that happened during the surgery.”

Dr. Fox spoke these words to calm my fears about my impending foot surgery a couple of weeks ago. The assuring thought filled my mind as the nurses wheeled me down the hospital hallway. Then the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room staring at my bandaged foot and wondering how three hours had passed so quickly. If only other kinds of painful situations could be forgotten so easily.

Living in a fallen world as we do, there is no one who will escape painful moments. Sin causes each of us to be hurt and to hurt others with our words, actions, or lack of action. Sometimes the pain is inflicted unintentionally when our motives are misunderstood, and other times the pain is caused by an act of malice intended to harm physically or emotionally. While these often unavoidable circumstances create wounds that deeply scar our hearts, the path to healing is found in forgiveness. God says that we should not let bitterness and wrath infect our heart, but instead be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving of one another.

When we choose to forgive one who has harmed us we set ourselves free from bondage. This does not mean that the wound is not real, but it keeps our heart from developing a deadly infection that will only make the pain worse. We must release the anger and bitterness through forgiveness because this is what God has done for us. By dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus Christ purchased our forgiveness and restored our fellowship with God. By forgiving others we release the hold they have on us, and we allow God to begin the healing process in our wounded hearts.

If we are to forgive others the way God in Christ has forgiven us, we must consider what that means. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” God chooses to forget our sin when we receive His forgiveness. But what about us?

Forgive AND forget! This is hard to do! If we choose to forgive someone who has harmed us, how do we forget the injustices we have suffered? It is not easy to let go of painful experiences and our minds often hold these memories forever.

I do not know of any kind of anesthesia that can cause us to forget our painful experiences completely. In response to different triggers, these injustices will sometimes come back to our minds. But I have found a way to aid in the forgetting process. As an unwanted memory flows through uncontrollable channels into my mind, I have made it a habit to debilitate the camera roll of events. I immediately stop and ask God to help me in my moment of distress. I don’t focus on future occurrences of the memory, but only on the present moment. In this way I redirect my thoughts, choose to let forgiveness win, and ask God help me in the forgetting process. I remind myself that He understands what I experienced and has everything under control. By trusting Him in the moment He moves me forward in the healing process.

My foot is progressing nicely after my surgery. Dr. Fox did an excellent job and I am very appreciative of her kindness, knowledge, and skill. I am also glad I have no recollection of the pain involved in the process.

It’s not quite as easy when it comes to other kinds of hurts, but I am even more thankful that God has the power to heal my heart. By trusting Him completely moment by moment, He will help me to forgive AND forget just as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven me.

Love,

Mama

Slavery Is More Prevalent Than We Think

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Hebrews 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” 

Photo taken at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio

What does it feel like to be a slave? Most of us have listened with horror and disbelief to history lessons spelling out the indecencies that men have inflicted on one another. In America the mistreatment of African-American people has been a huge blot on our country’s timeline, and those involved experienced much emotional and physical grief. The repercussions of this slavery are still being felt today.

In more recent history sex trafficking has come to the forefront as a major source of slavery. According to Wikipedia, “The selling of young women into sexual slavery has become one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the global economy. The United Nations reports that 4 million people a year are traded against their will to work in one or another form of servitude.”[1][2]

These and other forms of slavery have something in common. They are all connected to the sinful nature that man inherited from our first parents. Every person has the capability of giving this type of treatment to others because we ourselves are enslaved to our own sin problems.

“Me?” you may say. “I have never been a slave and I don’t know what if feels like!”

Has someone who is suffering from low feelings of self-esteem ever treated you unkindly? Have you tried to find relief from pain in worldly pleasures? Have you carried guilt like a ball and chain around your ankle and rehashed your mistakes over and over, wishing you could have a redo? Does the thought of death – yours or a loved one’s – create terror and lock your heart in a prison of fear?

These are only some of the enslavements that sin brings into our lives. Each and every one of us has been held in the power of another because we are human. Addictions, anger, bitterness, discouragement, anxiety, loneliness, perfectionism, stress, and prejudice are some of the prisons that hold us captive to our emotions and direct our mistreatment of others.

Slaves need to be set free to thrive! God knows this and did something about it. He gave His only Son a human body and sent Him to break us out of our prison. Through His death He removed the power that our captor, Satan, had over us so that we could be free from the sin slavery that ruled our lives.

All of the things that bind us can be removed by the power of God’s Son, but we have to want it! Sadly many slaves either do not want to or don’t know how to be free. They keep returning to their captors to endure the same suffering over and over when it is not necessary.

What does it feel like to be a slave? If you think clearly about your life, you will know – we have all been there in one way or another. The real question is: What does it feel like to be free? Really free? Come to Jesus and find out! If the Son will set you free, you will be free indeed!

Love,

Mama

Three Generations of Sheridan Auctioneers

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John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Three generations of Sheridan auctioneers is no small feat. When Grandma Sheridan enrolled Grandpa in auction school forty years ago he may not have realized that one of his sons and grandsons would follow in his steps. But none of these accomplishments happened automatically. They were the result of decisions, planning, and hard work.

Over four decades ago, after much dreaming, Grandma Sheridan enrolled Grandpa in the Knotts School of Auctioneering. For many weeks Grandpa traveled to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he spent hours each Thursday evening taking classes and learning this trade. Over the following months he trained under the best in the business and spent hours perfecting his chant as well as becoming a successful businessman (actually, Grandma helped with the business part!).

In 1995 Dad decided to join the Sheridan auction business, but he did not automatically become an auctioneer just because his father was one. Dad travelled to Missouri Auction School where he spent the required hours taking classes to become certified. After a yearlong apprenticeship, Dad also became a full-fledged auctioneer, and has spent the past two decades years using this gift to help people with their personal property and real estate needs.

This summer Nathan also made the decision to begin his auctioneer journey, but neither was he able to have an easy entrance into the field. Having a grandfather and father in the business did not preclude his need to go to school and get certified. He made the decision, paid the fee, and in June of this year he also attended the Missouri Auction School with an apprenticeship under Dad.

Three generations of Sheridans, but each one had to make the decision and put in the time to become an auctioneer. No one was able to slide in under the table because of past family connections or experience.

This is the way it is with the family of God. A person doesn’t become a Christian just because their father or grandfather made that commitment. They do not gain entrance into heaven because of someone else’s decisions. Each person must recognize their sinful nature and come to God on their own. When a person understands their personal need for a Savior and calls on God for forgiveness, He promises to answer and make them His child. At that moment they are born of the Spirit and have entered the Kingdom of God.

Auctioneer parents don’t automatically produce auctioneer children. It takes a decision and a lot of work. In the same way Christian parents don’t automatically produce Christian children. Each generation needs to come to God on his or her own in order to enter His Kingdom.

While I don’t expect you all will become auctioneers, I trust that each and every one of you will become part of God’s family. But it doesn’t happen automatically. That decision is up to you!

Love,

Mama

Rough Road Ahead

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Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Sometimes in the ordinary activities of life we are suddenly confronted with a change in plans. We start out doing the same old, same old, but an unplanned and unpleasant event disrupts our regular routine. Suddenly the smooth path we have been travelling becomes bumpy. How does one cope with such an unexpected turn of events?

The other day I started my usual walk down our road. I plodded along, lost in thought about the day’s events, when a flash of orange caught my eye. Looking up I saw a new sign on the side of my usual route that read, “Rough Road.” Surveying the situation more carefully I saw that a swath of asphalt had been cut out on either side of the bridge leaving two low strips about a foot wide and 3 inches deep. If I had not been paying attention I would have stumbled and hurt myself.

This sudden change in my routine walk brought again to my mind some sad events of the past weeks. While going through the ordinary routines of life, a number of our friends were suddenly confronted with a stretch of rough road. Out of the blue, it seemed, tragedy struck and suddenly the smooth path was strewn with potholes of reeling emotions and overwhelming grief.

When a person becomes a Christian it is often easy to think that life from now on will be a straight and even highway to heaven. We are children of the King, so shouldn’t our lives be easy? This misunderstanding of the journey of faith is a huge reason why many end up turning aside. Moving forward is easy while the path ahead is clear, but as soon as a rough patch surfaces many abandon the faith with disillusionment.

But the Bible gives many signposts to warn of rough road. 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” James also instructs us to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance (James 1:1-2).”

We are warned that these patches of rough road will come, but how do we keep moving forward with such tremendous difficulties before us?

Keeping in mind that Jesus our Savior upholds all things by the word of His power is a great comfort. He is the Creator and everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him. Despite all the forces that surround us, the Lord has ultimate authority and can control every circumstance with a single word. The winds and waves respond to His rebuke. The sick are healed and even the dead raised with a command from His lips. While our grief with difficult circumstances is very real, we can be assured that each stretch of rough road we encounter is not an error or mistake.

We may never understand God’s purposes, but we can be assured that He loves us and feels our pain. Nothing happens without His knowledge and apart from His love. During these times we must focus our eyes on His face and rely on Him to give us the power to take the next step, and then the next, and the next. By trusting Him completely we will in time experience His peace that overshadows our understanding of our circumstances.

There is rough road ahead for all who belong to the Lord. The Bible gives numerous warning signs. Yet we do not need to fear the rugged path ahead when we remember Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power. All things are under His control and not one detail escapes His notice. Keep your eyes on Him, hold his hand with every step, and despite the patches of rough road you will make it safely home!

Love,

Mama

Are You Ready For An Upgrade?

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Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” 

Have you ever noticed how expensive purchases regularly develop upgrades? A number of years ago I spent quite a bit of money to buy an iPad. I went above and beyond the average model to make sure it would last for a long time. I have gotten a lot of wear out of that piece of equipment, but recently I wanted to purchase another protective cover for it. I soon became frustrated to find that they no longer make them for my model. After searching on eBay I came to the realization that there really is no good option for me.

While these kinds of upgrades can be expensive and frustrating, there are other types of upgrades that are a huge blessing! Kids today have no idea what it was like to share a landline telephone with the whole family. You actually had to be at home to receive a call and if you wanted to speak privately you had to stretch the cord as far as it could reach around a corner to find a quiet place.

Way back when, a person couldn’t pick and choose the time to watch a TV program. You were either there when it was showing or you heard about it from your friends the next day. It really is hard to believe how all of the upgrades have made it possible to view all our favorites any time, any place, and as many times as we want to.

The Bible book of Hebrews talks about an upgrade. For thousands of years God spoke to humans through his chosen prophets. These men and women heard God’s message by various means and related it to the world in many different ways. Some spoke loudly to great crowds. Others wrote about what God told them. And still others acted out the message or named their children names with special meanings to demonstrate God’s warnings and promises. While these ways of communicating were effective, many who needed to listen to the messages chose to disregard them.

Hebrews tells us that today God is speaking to us in a new way – in His Son, Jesus Christ. The prophets’ message proclaimed the coming of Immanuel (God with us), and Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus is so much better than the prophets because rather than just speak God’s message He is the very Word of God in the flesh. In knowing Him you can see the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature. This is possible because Jesus is fully human and fully God. He upholds all things by the word of His power, and brings salvation to the world by paying the price of our sins. What the prophets could only speak about Jesus Christ fulfills.

There are many today that desire to hold on to the past, but in so doing they miss out on much better things. Cell phones and iPads have all but replaced landlines for conversing with friends. And God’s message to us is now spoken in His Son. What prophets of old could only foretell has now come to pass in the Savior.

Are you ready for an upgrade in your relationship with God? Then look to Jesus. He is the new and better way to hear God speak.

Love,

Mama

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You Just Don’t Understand Me!

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Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“You just don’t understand me!!”

I have often expressed this frustration throughout my life. All human beings are made with different temperaments, different likes and dislikes, different ways of handling situations, and different feelings about matters. This is compounded by differing life experiences and influences. All these mold us and determine our responses, making it rare to find someone who can look within our heart and fully understand our needs and struggles.

When Dad and I were first married we quickly saw differences in our personalities. While we were more than willing to accept these differences, it has taken years to understand each other. Over time, Dad, who is energized by crowds and activities, recognized that I often craved quiet moments at home to recharge for the next big social encounter. Likewise I have learned that Dad is motivated and recharged by meeting and greeting in social situations. We have come to appreciate these character traits in each other, but we will not ever fully understand them in an experiential way because we are so different.

But I am glad to say that there is Someone who understands each of us perfectly. Not only because He is our Creator, but because He came down to our level and became one of us. Jesus, the Son of God, took on a human body and chose to live on earth experiencing all that we do as humans. He was tempted just as we are, though without sin. He suffered hardship, endured pain, experienced rejection and more. He lived life as we do, and yet He also sees into our hearts and understands our inner workings.

“You don’t understand me!” does not apply when it comes to Jesus. He formed our bodies in the womb, designated our personality traits, walks with us through every circumstance of life, and on top of that He has personally experienced the joys and trials that we encounter every day.

All of this and more is why He alone can offer the understanding and help that we need. He became the perfect source of salvation for everyone who obeys Him, and because of His life we are able to approach God confidently and receive the grace and mercy we need so desperately.

Good friends and family are gifts of God. Yet no matter how loving they are there will always be times when we are forced to say, “You just don’t understand me!” But this is not so with our Savior.

He knows and understands the deepest places of our hearts and bids us to draw near His throne of grace confidently. Speak freely because you will not be misunderstood. And there you will find all the forgiveness, mercy, and help you need.

Love,

Mama

 

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Lord, Do You Hear Me Now?

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Daniel 10:12 “Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.’”

Photo by Catherine Meekins

“Do you hear me now?”

These familiar words from a cell phone commercial became a reality to our family this past week. While visiting the state of New York for John-Keith and Naomi’s wedding, we found that in most spots we did not have good cell reception. It is a good discipline to wean oneself of smart phone and computer use once in a while, but there are times when reaching someone immediately is very important.

Sometimes when trying to find where you are going you need directions. GPS systems and quick calls to a knowledgeable friend or family member have almost completely replaced maps. This is well and good until you lose your connection. While driving, Emily, tried to call us for help. Numerous times, the static and garbled voices caused us to move and shout the infamous words, “Do you hear me now?” And numerous times we were distressed by the message “Call failed.”

Other times there is an emergency that needs immediate attention. When one of the groomsmen (whom I will not mention – you can thank me later, Luke) realizes hours before the wedding that he forgot to bring the right pants, it is crucial that one quickly connect with a store to try to remedy the situation. The last thing you want to hear while the clock is ticking down the minutes is the clerk at JC Penney shouting, “Do you hear me now?”

All of these reasons are why I am glad we can call on our heavenly Father any minute of the day and night. Yet often as we pour out our hearts to Him it seems as if we are not connecting. How many times I have desperately called from my knees, “Lord, do You hear me now?” 

The prophet Daniel had a similar experience. He had a terrifying vision about a great conflict, which caused him to mourn for three entire weeks. During that time he did not eat any tasty food or perform his usual personal cleansing rituals. He exhausted himself calling on God for help, but it seemed as if God did not hear.

Then an angel came to him and comforted him saying, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.”

The angel went on to explain that God had heard Daniel’s petition the moment he prayed and sent him to help, but he had been delayed by a great enemy. God did not have a bad connection or lose control of the situation, but there were things that needed attended to first. Even while He seemed silent, He was working on Daniel’s behalf.

I am glad to say that Emily made it to the wedding safely, and JC Penneys had one pair of pants left in Luke’s size, which we purchased with only minutes to spare. Despite our problems with cell reception, things worked out for the best.

But there are still even bigger things I am praying for that have not been answered yet. Unlike when in parts of New York State, I know I do not have to shout, “Lord, do you hear me now?” or worry about receiving the message, “Call failed.” God heard Daniel’s prayers the moment he uttered them, and we can be sure He hears ours, too. Be patient as you wait for answers. They are on the way and God is working on your behalf.

Love,
Mama