A friend shared with me a testimony that I felt compelled to share with others. It seems many years ago, when she was much younger, she went through some tough times. I won’t go into the gory details, but she was even told by some ‘professionals’ that she would never be able to hold down a job. One evening while she was at a prayer meeting, a woman approached her and said she ‘had a word’ for her. The woman told her that “God wanted to give her the desires of her heart, but she needed to tell Him what they were.” My friend took this to heart and that evening began to make a list of things she wanted in her life. Top of the list was to find a man who would love her for who she was. He had to be artistic and enjoy music. He had to be mature and have ‘been through the fire’. She also didn’t want to be distracted by someone who was not serious. “Don’t waste my time,” she said. Most of all he had to be a man of God. She then began to pray.
Sometime later, while at a guitar class, she met a man and they began to date. After picking her up on their first date, he told her he felt the need to let her know that he was seeking a serious relationship with her. It turned out that he played a number of instruments and loved to paint. He had been married and divorced. He had great faith in God. He was also twenty years older (So God DOES have a sense of humor!). They’ve been married for over 30 years now. God has blessed them with three children and a couple of grand kids. She has held a highly responsible position for a few decades now and greatly respected for her work.
As my friend told me her story, something spoke to me. Because a woman many years ago dared to cross a room to give a message from God to someone she barely knew, lives were changed. That message gave hope and opened doors my friend didn’t realize even existed for her. My friend still has that list after all these years. She told me she wanted to read it again so that she could see the full extent of how her life had been affected by her prayers. I can’t wait to hear back from her about that.
In the meantime, I would like to speak a word for my young friends at my church. Brothers and sisters, you are wonderfully bright shining lights! God delights in your happiness and joy. He WILL provide the desires of your heart. All you have to do is ask. I will pray for you, and with you, that God will continue to bless you and make ALL your dreams come true.
Psalm 37 (A psalm of David)
1. Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
2. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.
6. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
8. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.
9. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
10. Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.
- Les
