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WHEN GOD ANSWERS YOUR PRAYERS
Copyright © 2013 by Karen O’Connor
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
O’Connor, Karen.
When God answers your prayers / Karen O’Connor.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7369-4840-1 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-4841-8 (eBook)
1. Prayer—Christianity. 2. Prayer—Christianity—Anecdotes. I. Title.
BV220.O26 2012
242—dc23
2012026070
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
For Sherry Kyle, Miralee Ferrell, and Kimberly Johnson, writing colleagues and dear friends.
I wish to thank these men and women for allowing me to interview them regarding their experiences on how God answered their prayers in the nick of time and for allowing me to create stories based on their real situations:
Rhonda Abellera • Beverly Adler • Nancy Aguilar • Ron Berry • Joseph Bentz • Renetta Butler • Tami Chelew • Dale Collins • Jon Drury • Judy Durden • Michael Ehret • Miralee Ferrell • Kristine Flynn • Charles Flowers • Gloria Hall • Debra Holmes • Kimberly Johnson • Beverly Lum • June O’Connor • Charise Olson • Joe Phillips • Marilyn Prasow • Simon Presland • Ginger Ramin • Cheryl Ritchey • Rene Schlaepfer • Anita Siriwa • Sandra Victor • James Warren • Glenda Wheeler
Acknowledgments
A Note from Karen
Hidden Love
Dream Job
Peace at Last
Most Beautiful One
Road to Victory
A Little Extra
Split-Second Grace
Life-Changing Decision
Ice Cream, Please
Home Sweet Home
Heavenly Scholarship
Hard Call
Leader in Training
Best Dress
Black Tuesday
Woman of Courage
Amazing Healing
So Long, Dallas
Pretty in Pink
Beloved Brother
Fifty Years
Second Chance
God’s House
A Promise Kept
Close Call
Crossroads
From Bad to Good
Wit and Wisdom
Final Answer
Cousin Harry
The Freeway—His Way
More Than a Miracle
Green Shoes
Walkin’ in the Rain
Christmas Coal
Unceasing Prayer
Death’s Door
Persistence
Learning Curve
Kindness Rewarded
Speaking Up
Cancer Challenged
Blooming Where Planted
Man of Faith
Tea and Cookies
If the Shoe Fits…
Prayer Stop
Under the Palm Tree
Joy in the Mourning
God’s Car
Cottage on the River
The Phone Call
The Great Test
Wanted: Your Book
Two-by-Two
The Father’s Hand
Cross-Country Move
The Red Bow
Farewell, My Son
Praying Wife
Never Too Late
Some Ride
Where to Now?
Stress Overturned
Trust Me
Auto Heaven
In God’s Arms
The Bible makes it clear that our heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers wherever we are, in whatever situation, and whenever we seek him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
God’s Word does not, however, say that he will answer our prayers immediately or necessarily in the manner we want or expect. We all experience times when the Lord seems to hold back, or looks the other way, or even refuses to communicate with us at all. We plead and beg, but still we hear no answers…or at least not the ones we’re hoping for. Although as his children we should trust him with all our hearts, often we don’t. We become so focused on our own points of view that we don’t rest until we hear the answer we desire. But God may have something else in mind. Maybe...
• we need to turn our gaze on him, not on our situation.
• another detail has to be settled first.
• our thinking requires an adjustment.
• the timing isn’t right for reasons unknown to us.
• he wants to stretch and mature us so we depend more on him.
• our request is selfish.
• we have unconfessed sin that is standing in the way.
Whatever the case, God is God and we are not. Ultimately, he will do what is right and good and perfect for our situation according to his will and in his timing. We can take comfort in that truth like a child trusting a parent to make the right decision or we can balk and complain and then feel ashamed for not trusting when the answer does come. As C.S. Lewis put it, “Relying on God has to start all over every day, as if nothing has yet been done.”
Often, when we least expect it, at the very moment we’re ready to give up, when we’re sitting on the curb in tears or pacing the floor and running a hand through our hair, the phone rings with the news that our house or boat sold, or a sick child’s fever broke, or a book proposal was accepted, or a job interview resulted in an offer of employment. God answers our prayers. Never too early. Never too late. Often just in the nick of time.
This was the case with my friend Cheryl Ritchey. “One day during a pouring rain, my husband and I stopped at a fast-food restaurant for coffee,” she said. “When we returned to our car, the battery was dead.” Cheryl had left the headlights on. “There we stood in the downpour by the side of the car, hood up, without a cell phone, trying to think of something we could do.” They didn’t go back into the restaurant for assistance because, as Cheryl said, “I always turn to God first.” So she prayed, “Lord, please send us help.”
Minutes later God’s answer arrived. A large, black SUV pulled up with a lady trooper inside. She pulled into the space next to their car.
“Can I help?’” she asked.
Cheryl pointed at the engine compartment. “We have a dead battery.”
The officer offered to use her cables to jump-start the battery. Soon the car was running again. While thanking the woman, Cheryl noticed the woman’s large, gold nameplate pinned to her uniform. In bold black letters it read: LORD.
“Now I’d say that was an answer to prayer in the nick of time,” said Cheryl. “And God even put his name on it!”
In this uplifting book, you’ll find other amazing and sometimes humorous answers to the prayers of real people regarding real situations. I pray they will encourage you and boost your faith in God. He always hears his children, and he always answers…though sometimes waiting until what we consider the last possible moment.
Karen O’Connor
Watsonville, California
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
PROVERBS 10:12
“Early in our marriage, my husband and I had a very difficult season because of a deep hurt between us,” Terra shared. “My pillow was often wet with tears. I especially remember one Valentine’s Day in particular. Rick walked through the front door after work carrying an enormous bouquet of red, white, and pink heart balloons. Instead of being appreciative of his thoughtfulness, I was angry. I raged at him in my mind: ‘I can’t believe you spent all that money! What were you thinking?’ As far as I was concerned, Rick couldn’t do anything right.”
One weekend Terra’s in-laws came to visit from another state. During their stay, Terra and Rick gave each other fake smiles and forced hugs. “We spoke nicely to each other, but it was all a facade,” added Terra. “It seemed easier to pretend than to make waves. We took pictures of all of us ‘being happy,’ but when I look at them now, many years later, I see the sadness in our eyes. No one else knew the pain we were carrying.”
Following one conflict after another, the couple gradually drifted apart. They no longer liked or respected each other. “To save face, we continued the pretense in front of others and even between ourselves.” Their problems grew to the point where they could no longer hide the pain. “We started talking about divorce because it seemed like our only option.”
Terra cried to God for help. She was at a loss for what else she could say or do to improve the situation. “Sometimes in desperation, I even prayed that something bad would happen to one of us, such as an accident, so we wouldn’t have to go through a divorce and hurt our parents and two young sons.”
Finally Terra and Rick decided to confide in their pastor so they met for counseling. They also phoned a trusted friend and small-group leader at their church. David invited them to his home to talk and pray. “He ushered us into his living room, and we sat on a sofa facing him,” said Terra. “He held our hands and prayed, asking God for wisdom and for healing for our marriage. He looked up at us with sad eyes, was quiet for a moment, and then he suddenly started weeping—softly at first. Then his silent tears changed to deep, uncontrollable sobs.”
The couple didn’t know what to do, so they sat and watched David. “We forgot our own heartbreak for a while,” Terra said, “and wondered how to comfort our friend.”
Moments later he stopped crying.
“What’s wrong, David?” Rick asked.
David looked at Rick and Terra with compassion. “The grief of Jesus overwhelmed me,” he explained. “Jesus is weeping over your marriage.”
Neither Terra nor Rick had ever heard of such a thing. They were stunned. They knew David well, and he wasn’t a person given to drama or emotional outbursts. “Over the years we’d shared meals and celebrations together, gone on trips with his family, and been participants in a Bible study in his home, yet we had never seen him cry,” Terra shared. “We didn’t understand what had happened, yet we never doubted his explanation.”
The thought of Jesus grieving over their marriage was more than the couple could handle. “Rick and I both started crying as we too caught a glimpse of God’s great love for us. That night we knew—even in our brokenness—there was hope. We humbly asked God to renew our love and commitment to each other. Sometimes,” Terra continued, “I think the Lord pulls back the veil here on earth and gives us a glimpse of him. That’s what happened when David prayed for us.”
Over the next several weeks, Terra and Rick noticed subtle changes in their relationship. “Our hearts began to soften,” Terra noted. “We started to forgive each other. What surprised us most were the ‘new’ eyes God gave us for each other. We fell in love again. We knew the only explanation for this change was God’s mercy and grace being poured into our hurting hearts. He had given us a second chance just in the nick of time.
“I learned that God ‘is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ just like Ephesians 3:20 says. Though I had been taught as a child that God loves me, after this experience, I felt loved by God because he met me right where I was and answered my cry for help.”
Since that time, Terra and Rick have realized how much they need to pay attention to their relationship—to nurture it and to keep learning and growing together. “Through the years since then,” Terra revealed, “we’ve taken marriage classes, gone to retreats for couples, and sought godly counsel when we’ve experienced difficulties. We celebrated our thirty-fifth anniversary in June of 2011. We love being married!”
In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:19
“I was nearing the completion of my studies for a PhD,” shared Joseph Bentz. “I was ready to look for a job as an English professor at a university. I knew I wanted to work at a different institution than the one where I was teaching at the time. I applied to 34 schools all over the country and prayed mightily that God would lead me to the right place.”
The year before, Joe had sought a position he considered a dream job. “The school seemed interested, and I had some long telephone discussions with the dean, but the committee ended up choosing someone with a completed doctorate and more experience than I had. Their decision made sense, but I was terribly disappointed.”
Joe admits that he carried that disappointment with him during his new job search. “The market for English professors was very tough at that time,” he said. “And I hadn’t yet completed my dissertation, so I received some rejections right away. Azusa Pacific University (APU) in Southern California was among them. I’d met the chair of the English Department at a conference and hoped he might have an opening for me. I was single then and living in Illinois. Moving to sunny Southern California sounded like a great adventure, but the door closed. I filed that rejection with the others and moved on.”
When spring semester started, despite many interviews, it was apparent to Joe that he was to remain at the school where he was already employed. “God had not answered my prayers in the way I’d hoped.” As he settled in and let go of his disappointment, he received an unexpected letter in the mail from the chair of the English Department at APU—four months after the man had turned down Joe’s application. It turned out that one of the faculty members was stepping down so there would be an opening after all. “Are you still interested in interviewing for this position?” the man wrote.
“Was I? Absolutely! I was on an airplane the very next week. The interview went well, and by the middle of April I received a contract for the following school year.” Two weeks later Joe successfully defended his dissertation for his doctorate.
“As I look back now, 20 years later, the timing of this event seems perfect. I got the job just when I needed it—in the nick of time, you might say—and everything fell into place. I still work at APU, and I have spent the most productive years of my career here. I also met my wife in California, and we now have two children.”
From this experience, Joe learned that he can rarely see the significance of events at the time he’s going through them. “In the present I simply have to trust God to pull me through. He always does, but in a moment of worry and confusion, I feel a little shaky, wondering why there are so many unknowns and why he is taking so long to answer.” One thing Joe realized during that trial, and through many similar experiences, is to focus on what God presents in the moment instead of trying to figure out the future. “He rarely does things in the sequence I expect or uses the methods I would choose,” added Joe. “But God has brought joy into my life regardless of the circumstances, so I choose to trust him to carry me the rest of the way.”
Faith is all that dreamers need to see into the future.
Jim Stovall
Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.
PSALM 119:39
“I struggled mightily in prayer over my volatile relationship with my adoptive father, often with reservation and constant despair, fearing in the back of my mind there would never be relief,” Owen revealed. He couldn’t believe or even imagine there’d be a time when he could fully forgive his father and find true peace. “For years I felt a dull ache in the middle of my heart where he was concerned. He would have a violent temper one day and act like my best friend the next.”
As Owen moved from his teenage years into early adulthood, he indulged in negative fantasies about the man. “I found myself wishing for harm and punishment to rain down on him. I was so hurt and angry I couldn’t consider anything else.” Through the years Owen spoke with various spiritual counselors, friends, and therapists. Each one talked with him about unconditional forgiveness, and urged him to pray for personal healing.
“My walk with God was weak,” said Owen, “so my ability to forgive was poor. I didn’t have the energy to move in that direction.” But God was present in Owen’s situation even though he didn’t realize it at the time.
“Eventually God led me to a recovery path.” There he received tools and information about how to restore his spiritual health. “Once again I was faced with the precept that forgiveness results in true strength. But when it came to my father, my spirit rebelled.” Even so, Owen did start praying more consistently for his father and kept turning him over to the Lord. “My heart wasn’t in it completely,” Owen said, “but I tried.” The best he could do was detach from his dad in mind and body, though those attempts were never fully successful.
“In February 2006, I received a phone call from my brother in Dallas, Texas,” said Owen. “He told me our father had just passed away. The irony was that Dad lived only a few miles from where I was living at the time.” Owen said he continued on with his day, trying to put the news behind him. “But a flood of memories came up, and they shook me to the core. I prayed for peace. I prayed for forgiveness. I prayed for relief. But I was stuck.” Then a thought came to him. “I must pray for my father and ask for his forgiveness, nothing more and nothing less.”
Owen reached out to a friend for support, and the two went to the local hospital morgue. There Owen lay prostrate before his father’s body and prayed. “I asked that my dad would be in the presence of God. I asked Dad for his forgiveness for my being an angry, resentful son. I prayed for peace for my dad through eternity, and then I walked out. Within several steps I felt relief and lightness sweep over me like never before. From that day to this, whenever I think of Dad, the good far outweighs the bad.”
Owen was set free from grief, anger, hatred, and fear in the nick of time. He was able to say his final goodbye with peace.
“The most important lesson I’ve learned about prayer is to stay the course,” Owen shared. “It’s never too late to pray. The timing is always right because God is working in the background even when we can’t see a way out.”
The Lord showed Owen the truth of the Scripture, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Owen said, “I’d given up hope of finding peace, yet God showed me that my serenity will come when I forgive others and ask for their forgiveness—especially those I hold in contempt. Walking in prayer, sometimes one slow, painful step at a time, is still the best way.”
Love begins at home and it is not how much we do…but how much love we put in that action.
Mother Teresa
From the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.
PSALM 71:20
For seven nights King Xerxes, a Persian who ruled in the third or fourth century BC, held a great party. On the last day of the revelry, being in high spirits from wine, he told his servants to get Queen Vashti “wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at” (Esther 1:11). But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. The king was “furious and burned with anger.” He removed her as queen and banished her from the kingdom. Then he issued a royal decree for all the beautiful, young women in his realm to be presented to him so he could select a new queen.
Esther, a Jewish girl being raised by her cousin Mordecai following the death of her parents, caught the king’s eye. He was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other young women, so he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Mordecai had an enemy named Haman, the king’s prime minister. Haman detested Mordecai because he refused to bow down when Haman entered the palace gates. This infuriated the prime minister so much that he looked for a way to discredit Mordecai. He found one. Discovering that Mordecai was Jewish, Haman planted in the mind of King Xerxes the idea that people who were different should be executed. He said certain people refused to obey the king’s laws. Unaware that his beautiful queen and her cousin would be among this group, the king agreed.
When Mordecai heard of Haman’s plan, he begged Esther to do something to save her people—to beseech the king’s help. If she did, however, her life would be in danger because no one was allowed to approach the king unless he summoned him or her. How hopeless she must have felt.
Esther requested prayer, and she also prayed. I imagine she spent hours in prayer because so much was on the line. Then Esther gathered her courage and entered the king’s throne room. Because he loved Esther, the king stretched out his scepter and welcomed her into his presence. She invited him to a special banquet where he would be the guest of honor. She included Haman in the invitation. The two men attended the feast. Afterward, Xerxes promised Esther she could have anything she wanted—even half his kingdom. Instead, Esther invited the king and Haman to a second banquet. The king agreed once again.
Meanwhile, Haman was moving forward with his plans to murder the Jews. He ordered a stake to be erected so he could impale or hang Mordecai. But God responded in the nick of time. Haman went to the court to speak to the king to ask if Mordecai could be killed, but before he had a chance to say anything, the king told him to honor Mordecai for reporting a plot against him. Haman did as commanded, but he went home and furiously complained about it to his wife and friends. And then the king’s servants came to get Haman for the second dinner Esther was hosting.
At the end of the next dinner, Xerxes again promised Esther anything she wanted. She asked that her life be spared, and her people be saved from an evil man.
The king demanded, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” (Esther 7:5).
“An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” replied Esther. She went on to explain his plot against the Jews.
The king ordered Haman be put to death immediately on the stake he’d built to kill Mordecai.
Then the king promoted Mordecai to Haman’s place and authorized Mordecai and Esther to write a decree in his name that would allow the Jews to defend themselves and to kill their enemies on the same day Haman’s edict would occur. The Jews destroyed all who sought to kill them. Thousands went down, including the 10 sons of Haman.
Esther and her cousin Mordecai sent out a letter to the Jews confirming an annual commemoration—Purim—of the saving of the Jews. King Xerxes continued his reign with Queen Esther at his side, and Mordecai continued as the second most powerful man in Xerxes’ kingdom.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him.
PSALM 37:5
“My husband, Denny, and I started our own business, Durden General Engineering, 35 years ago,” Judy Durden said. “With God’s help, I became a general engineering licensed contractor in 1987. But in 2008, when the economy took a major downturn, we faced overwhelming odds. Work became scarce, and contracts were difficult to obtain. The following three years were the hardest of all.”
Judy then shared something she’d heard a pastor once say. “When you’re up against a major storm in your life, you have two choices. The first is to allow it to destroy you. The second is to run to Jesus.” For Judy, the choice was clear. She ran to Jesus. “As a young girl, I lived in a non-Christian home. But the Lord always had his hand on me. When I grew weary, he picked me up and carried me in his loving arms.” At age nine she became a follower of Christ and has continued on that path ever since.
“I believe God allows the challenges so he can get our attention. He certainly got mine during the economic recession.”
In this difficult time with the business, the Holy Spirit spoke to Judy about the power of prayer. “I was to get on my knees and humble myself before God,” she said. “So every morning my husband and I knelt before the Lord, prayed together, and read Scripture.”
Judy and Denny heard that some contractors were certain Durden General Engineering wouldn’t survive. “But they didn’t know our Master,” added Judy with a twinkle in her eye. “Yes, there were times when I wanted to give up. And many mornings I lay in bed and worried. But I knew that my God was in control, and so I prayed the doubts away. I could sense victory was just around the bend.”
On one particular Friday when an employee payroll was due, the business had no cash on hand. The couple needed a miracle. “I remember that morning speaking to God about our situation,” said Judy, “even though I knew he knew all about it before I asked. The Holy Spirit moved me in such a way that when I picked up the mail I felt certain there’d be a check for enough to cover our expenses.” And sure enough, the first envelope held a check from a contractor whose payment to the company was not due for another 10 days. “That day we met payroll and were able to pay a few bills,” Judy said. “God is faithful and always on time—even when it feels to us like it’s just in the nick of time.”
Judy thanked God over and over that day for his perfect answer to her prayers. “It’s easy to praise him when you’re on the mountaintop,” she added, “but the sacrifice of praise is when you’re going through a valley. That’s when your faith grows stronger. Hard times can be your best times. Jesus taught me so much about me during those difficult times.”
Since that Friday, Judy and Denny have faced many more challenges, but they always turn to God in prayer. “He taught me to speak to him every day and to trust him in all things,” Judy shared. “He showed me that in surrendering all of me I please him because that’s what he’s always wanted!
“He has blessed my husband and me more than I can say. Our greatest blessings are our three sons and their wives, our seven grandchildren, and our great-granddaughter. God gives blessings to everyone who turns to him.”
When you fail, you learn from the mistakes you made, and it motivates you to work even harder.
Natalie Gulbis
Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
PSALM 27:11
Between college semesters, a friend in Utah offered Dale a job building homes. He took it, even though it meant delaying going back to classes for a few months. “I remember enjoying the varieties of scenic beauty as I drove from the Columbia River Gorge region of Washington and Oregon to Salt Lake City, as well as seeing the Great Salt Lake and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.” This area would be his new home for the time he held the job.