Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas miracles and unspoken prayers

As Christmas Day approaches, I wanted to share a story with everyone about the wonders of God's ways.

Back in March, still reeling from my Mom's death, I told my husband that we had to start saving our money for a trip around Christmas, because there was no way I was going to be able to cope with being home for the holidays. My Mom and I were best friends and I just KNEW Christmas was going to be unbearable without her. Hubby and I both agreed that a family Christmas trip would be necessary. My exact words were "I just can't be in this house come Christmas". God heard me and took my words and my family's needs to heart. He fixed them in ways that I wouldn't fully realize until just a few weeks ago when, as I was re-grouting one of the floor's in my new house, I began laughing. My daughter looked at me as though I'd lost my mind, which presupposes of course that I had a mind to lose. She asked what I found so amusing, since we were both on our hands and knees scrubbing the floor. I told her "We won't be in the other house for Christmas".

We weren't looking for a house when we bought this one. It came to our attention courtesy of a friend of ours who lives in the same neighborhood as our new house and knew we had outgrown our other house. We had discussed moving with this friend before, and had come to the conclusion that a house the size of the one that we needed was outside of our budget at the time. Our new house is double the square footage of our old one and because of the cosmetic work that needed to be done would be within our budget. Because of that friend, we were able to get a bid in on the house the day it went on the market and were able to close on the house within just a couple of weeks. Hurdles came up and were cleared almost as quickly.

As I kneeled there on all fours, pausing in reflection from scrubbing the floor, I realized that God had wanted us to have this house. Our new home was His response to my "I just can't be in this house come Christmas". And I realized then that while God gave us Christ to mend our broken souls, He gave my family our new home this year to help mend our broken hearts. I realized that a miracle had occurred.....our own little Christmas miracle. Everything about this house - where it is, how big it is, how it's laid out, when we got it - fits our needs perfectly. Too perfectly. God knew we (or, at least, I) would need a miracle to get through this Christmas, and He delivered, even when we didn't directly ask for it and then didn't realize that what we were getting was an answer to an unspoken prayer.

I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow. - Jeremiah 31:13 

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

Have faith, brothers and sisters -  He is always there, always listening, always answering...even the unspoken prayers. Merry Christmas and may God bless you with Christmas miracles of your own.

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