If you missed Part 1 or Part 2 of this series, be sure to catch up and then come back here to continue on as I share more about the way God revealed this precious truth to me during Women's Retreat this past weekend.
Before I dive in, I have to smile. I just turned on the radio to listen to K-Love while I type, and what would be playing except for the song God has been using to reinforce the reality of the power inside of me, the divine power that strengthens me and enables me to gain the victory over my enemy, who doesn't seem to want to admit he's a loser and will never ever be able to defeat me. He's a persistent fellow, and as he launches attack after attack after attack on me, I will keep on reminding him, "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!"
Okay, now that I've got that beat in my heart, I can go on about how God made Himself known to me as I spent the weekend with my sister friends from church. But first, I have to trace my steps and share a story about the day BEFORE the Women's Retreat...
On Wednesday evening, I got a message from a friend.
She was extremely discouraged.
Overwhelmed with life's circumstances.
The frustrations.
The disappointments.
The difficulties.
The were just too much.
For too long.
She was ready to give up and throw in the towel.
She had poured her heart out to God, and He hadn't seem to hear.
He didn't seem to be coming through for her and her family.
Devastated.
Heartbroken.
I went before God for my friend.
I got on my knees, pleading for her. Begging God to act on her behalf. Pleading with Him to make Himself known, to show her His love, to flood her with His grace, to blow her away with His faithfulness, to simply provide for her needs.
I had planned a prayer time with my It Works team for Thursday morning at 10. I took each name before the Lord, asking Him to bless their marriages, to give them wisdom in parenting, and for other requests they had as individuals. I also petitioned for my friend, for she had been longing to join my team, but finances hadn't worked out. Something was always coming up. She was getting impatient. Tired of waiting. And so I prayed for her too, that God would make a way, that He would break through her situation in such a way that we would have to give Him all the glory.
I'm not sure what time my friend called me, but she did.
Excited.
Elated.
"I'm ready to sign up for It Works!"
What?!
This was a complete turn around from last night.
How was this possible?
Because my God SEES me.
And He HEARS me.
He saw my friend.
He heard her cries.
And answered.
In a big way.
She had gotten a check for $500 from a random church.
Talk about coming through in a big way.
In a God-alone-could-have-done-that way.
Much like He had when Kellah (now almost 3) was just born. We were on WIC, not knowing how in the world to pay our bills, buy food, put gas in the cars - one of which was on its last mile and not really safe to drive in the first place. We were desperate. And completely dependent on God to provide for us. He HAD to come through for us.
He saw us then.
He heard our prayers.
And answered.
We too got a check for $500 in the mail one day. A short note read, "Kellah is so blessed to have parents like you."
To this day, I don't know what gracious soul sent us that money, but I am eternally grateful.
Just as my friend was on Thursday.
She called me in tears.
Tears of joy.
And hope.
She came over on Friday and joined my team. She has complete peace that God opened the door for her to do this and is expectant for Him to bless her business so that they can use her income to provide for their family.
With this amazing testimony of God's goodness, I went to Women's Retreat.
God LOVES to give us opportunities to share with others how He is at work in our lives, and so He flung the door open wide for me to do so on Saturday afternoon. We had just completed our afternoon session, challenged once more by an amazing speaker at the IF Conference. We then gathered in our small group once more. We sat back down in our mismatched chairs, space heater blaring, and we pulled out another slip of paper from the bag.
"What is a way that God has answered your prayers?"
Ooooh!!! Oooooh!!! Pick me!! Pick me!!!
Let me just go ahead and tell you how He answered a HUGE prayer yesterday!
We all went around and shared how God had HEARD our cries and shown Himself faithful, how He let us know that He SAW us, loved us, cared for us, and would come through for us.
As I sat there, I was overcome with the promise that the God who SEES me also HEARS me.
In fact, His hearing is much like His perfect 20/20 vision.
This morning I read several verses in Scripture to confirm what He was already showing me:
"The Lord HEARS His people when they call to Him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles."
~Psalm 34:17
"Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress,
and the Lord HEARS my voice."
~Psalm 55:17
"I love the Lord because He HEARS my voice and my prayer for mercy."
~Psalm 116:1
Every comment, message, and text I received yesterday and today, letting me know my words spoke to someone at the very moment they needed it are testimony to the promise that God not only SEES me but He HEARS me too.
He hears YOU too.
He is listening.
Call out to Him.
He delights in you.
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He DELIGHTS in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will NEVER fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand."
~Psalm 37:23-24
"For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty Savior.
He will take DELIGHT in you with gladness.
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
He will REJOICE over you with joyful songs."
~Zephaniah 3:17
How fitting as I wrap up this post, another meaningful song lately came on the radio. Francesca Battistelli's "He Knows My Name" couldn't have been a better way to confirm the promises God has been speaking to me time and time again the past several days:
I SEE YOU.
I HEAR YOU.
I love you...
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