Prayers

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Philippians 4:6-7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

My husband and I were twenty-five years old and full of excitement when we arrived in Africa for our first term of missionary service—and we were expecting our first child! I had been naïve enough to believe that we would be able to purchase baby items somewhere in the area, but I was wrong. Goods and supplies were extremely limited in the remote area where we lived, and things sent from the U.S. often took months to reach us. Amazingly, God graciously provided everything we needed through a few packages from home, but mostly through other missionary families who shared baby items they no longer needed. It was sort of an unwritten rule among them that whomever had the next baby became the recipient of such things.

By the time the our daughter arrived, all of the basic needs were met! Two weeks later, I stood in the bedroom overwhelmed with gratitude for all the things that came seemingly from out of nowhere. But then I prayed, “Lord, I don’t mean to sound greedy or ungrateful because You have supplied our needs, but if it’s not asking too much, I’d like to have a nice little dress for the baby to wear when I take her to church that first Sunday morning.” As I prayed, I could see in my mind exactly what I would choose if I were shopping for it myself—a little green dress with smocking across the top and lace around the collar.

Just a few days later, we received a rather large package from another missionary family. The note inside read, “I waited until your baby arrived to know if I should send things for a boy or a girl. I hope you enjoy these items.” There, near the top of pile, was a little green dress with smocking across the top and lace around the collar.

Lord, throughout my life I’ve seen Your faithfulness and Your concern over and over again. Thank You that You care about every detail of my life and that there is nothing that I can’t talk to You about.


Dr. Ann Shorb is the founder of Christian Counseling & Educational Services, an accomplished professional speaker, and the author of A Light for My Path, a weekly email devotional. Visit her website http://www.ccesonline.com for a free subscription to A Light for My Path.

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