It was Wednesday of Jr. boys camp, and I was sitting in chapel as the invitation was being given.
Head bowed I was seeking the Lords face asking Him that He would work in the hearts and lives of all the young boys sitting in the pews.
As I was praying suddenly the name of a little boy in my brothers cabin came to mind "Thomas". His family used to come to my church and had left before he was really of age to accept Christ and I had never heard if he had or not. So I just began to pray that God would work in his heart that night and that if he was unsaved that he would accept Christ.
And right as I finished my praying I lifted my face only to see Thomas pass by me with his counselor. Tears filled my eyes as I began praising God for working in his heart and for giving him the courage to walk the aisle. And I am thankful to God when I say that Thomas accepted Christ that night!!!
But something that really struck me was the fact that I was surprised when I lifted my head and saw Thomas walking back. And that can only mean one thing, I was not expecting God to answer my prayer... or at least not that soon. I was not praying for rain with my umbrella up.
Why when God works am I so surprised? I say that my God is a mighty God and can do mighty things but do I really ... really believe that??
A few weeks later Thomas was back up for family camp along with my family and a lady from my church came along too and she brought her niece who is around 8 or 9. And I knew that Victoria ( the little niece) might not be saved. So I began praying for her salvation.
And you have to understand that when working in the kitchen at camp there is A LOT of time for prayer!
When we stand there cutting melon after melon or opening can after can of fruit it gets very mundane and boring and really it is just a blessing because that gives us time with God to plead with Him on behalf of all the hearts and souls that come in and out of camp each week, and who sit under the preaching and teaching of the word.
So I began praying everyday for Victoria. And it was Thursday of family camp that I came out of the kitchen and sat with my family to eat. Thomas was sitting next to me and he turns to me with a huge grin on his face and says " Bethany ask Victoria what happened?"
Turning my face I look at Victoria who was sitting across from me, and ask
" What happened Tori?"
Being a shy girl she would not answer so Thomas spoke for her and said " Tori got saved" and I wish I had a picture to post on here to show you the pure joy on the face of this young believer at the salvation of another. He was just elated by the fact that Tori had accepted Christ. I too was excited but must admit that I was blown away again by the fact that God had worked in her life.
I was again surprised!! Again it just shows that I was not fully trusting God to work and when He did I was awestruck and had to ask forgiveness for not trusting Him more fully.
I had been praying that God would help me to rely more on Him and that He would increase my faith and this summer He truly has!! In the big ways ( Cousins heart attack) and small ways ( answered prayer of salvation). He has taught me this summer that I need to pray for rain with the umbrella up!!!
He has said that He would answer why do I fail to trust that??
Matthew 7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
John 15:7
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."
Head bowed I was seeking the Lords face asking Him that He would work in the hearts and lives of all the young boys sitting in the pews.
As I was praying suddenly the name of a little boy in my brothers cabin came to mind "Thomas". His family used to come to my church and had left before he was really of age to accept Christ and I had never heard if he had or not. So I just began to pray that God would work in his heart that night and that if he was unsaved that he would accept Christ.
And right as I finished my praying I lifted my face only to see Thomas pass by me with his counselor. Tears filled my eyes as I began praising God for working in his heart and for giving him the courage to walk the aisle. And I am thankful to God when I say that Thomas accepted Christ that night!!!
But something that really struck me was the fact that I was surprised when I lifted my head and saw Thomas walking back. And that can only mean one thing, I was not expecting God to answer my prayer... or at least not that soon. I was not praying for rain with my umbrella up.
Why when God works am I so surprised? I say that my God is a mighty God and can do mighty things but do I really ... really believe that??
A few weeks later Thomas was back up for family camp along with my family and a lady from my church came along too and she brought her niece who is around 8 or 9. And I knew that Victoria ( the little niece) might not be saved. So I began praying for her salvation.
And you have to understand that when working in the kitchen at camp there is A LOT of time for prayer!
When we stand there cutting melon after melon or opening can after can of fruit it gets very mundane and boring and really it is just a blessing because that gives us time with God to plead with Him on behalf of all the hearts and souls that come in and out of camp each week, and who sit under the preaching and teaching of the word.
So I began praying everyday for Victoria. And it was Thursday of family camp that I came out of the kitchen and sat with my family to eat. Thomas was sitting next to me and he turns to me with a huge grin on his face and says " Bethany ask Victoria what happened?"
Turning my face I look at Victoria who was sitting across from me, and ask
" What happened Tori?"
Being a shy girl she would not answer so Thomas spoke for her and said " Tori got saved" and I wish I had a picture to post on here to show you the pure joy on the face of this young believer at the salvation of another. He was just elated by the fact that Tori had accepted Christ. I too was excited but must admit that I was blown away again by the fact that God had worked in her life.
I was again surprised!! Again it just shows that I was not fully trusting God to work and when He did I was awestruck and had to ask forgiveness for not trusting Him more fully.
I had been praying that God would help me to rely more on Him and that He would increase my faith and this summer He truly has!! In the big ways ( Cousins heart attack) and small ways ( answered prayer of salvation). He has taught me this summer that I need to pray for rain with the umbrella up!!!
He has said that He would answer why do I fail to trust that??
Matthew 7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
John 15:7
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."
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