Mother’s Day – The Forgotten Prayers
What a delightful surprise to wake up this morning and discover that my new book had been featured on Kate Motaung’s Five Minute Friday post! I was surprised, humbled, and thrilled all at the same time. Thank you, Kate! What an honour!
For the rest of the day, I’ve been trying to write my Five Minute Friday post and failing terribly. Swirling emotions and disjointed thoughts, but no words.
All I keep thinking is, “Whoa… It actually happened.”
It’s been an incredible season of stress and stretching, excitement and vulnerability, prayer and follow-through. But it’s DONE!
The book I’ve been working on for so long, the one I’ve been talking about for years, the one I’ve been dreaming of for even longer is finally DONE!
AND I REALLY LIKE IT!
Thank You, Father, for bringing the dream to completion!
Since the moment I pressed “publish” on the book, I’ve been remembering a powerful message I heard ten years ago when we first moved to South Africa. It was preached by Dee Harris, a powerful woman in my life who was speaking on the life of Sarah. Her words rocked my world then, and they’ve rocked my world again today.
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// Do you remember the story of Sarah? Desperate for a child, she prayed and trusted God. But it was taking too long, so she tried to make the promise happen in her own efforts, and ended up making a big mess of things.
How long had she waited? How long had she ached? How long had she prayed? But she only saw the miracle baby when she was ninety years old.
Can you imagine waiting that long for a baby, let alone having one at the age of ninety? Good heavens!
Let’s put this into perspective… she had probably STOPPED praying for a baby about the same time she hit menopause, which could very likely have happened around the age of fifty.
That means that
GOD ANSWERED HER PRAYER ABOUT FORTY YEARS AFTER SHE STOPPED ASKING FOR IT.
Whoa…
And I heard God asking me again,
“What else have you stopped asking for, beloved? I never ignore you, and I never forget. It’s time to bring those things back again.”
My friends, I asked God years ago for the opportunity to write a book, but I stopped asking because I got busy doing other things. I forgot, but He didn’t.
Sarah asked God for a baby, but she stopped asking because she grew old and cynical. She forgot, but He didn’t.
What prayers have you forgotten about, dear Mother?
It’s time to revisit them again.
He hasn’t forgotten. //
What else have you stopped asking for, beloved? I never ignore you, and I never forget. Click To Tweet
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Seriously, guys, I love this community so much, and I look forward to Friday every week. The level of encouragement that I receive each week from my fellow FMF bloggers is exceptional… like gas in my tank. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
You can get your copy of IDENTITY: Finding the Proverbs 31 Woman in the Middle of Kid Chaos here. Now available on Amazon and Kindle.
Every Friday, I join an inspiring group of writers to write for FIVE MINUTES on a one-word prompt. No editing. No revising. Just WRITE. This week, the prompt word was MOM.
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For more information on Five Minute Friday, check out Kate Motaung’s site!
WOW! I am blessed to meet you and congratulate you on your new book–simply because I came after you at Five Minute Friday! What a privilege. Your book sounds like quite a journey through the years of motherhood while holding on to the promise of being a Proverbs 31 woman. Blessings on your new book! I dream but can’t even imagine that.
Janis
Thanks, Janis! It’s so nice to meet you! (I just visited your blog and left a comment too.)
Yes, it’s been quite a journey, not just in raising four amazing kids, or being married to a crazy worship pastor, nor because we’ve live in South Africa for 10 years… but because God is so much bigger and adventurous than I am and HE has awesome plans for our lives! I’m so grateful to be His daughter!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Congratulation, Shauna!!!!!
31 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/05/your-dying-spouse-309-never-go-full.html
Thanks, Andrew! It’s such a big joy to have done it, and a huge relief to have it done (all except for the marketing, of course). The process was much more intense than I expected it to be. And you’ve done this how many times??? Respect.
Have a great weekend, my friend. ☀️
Love this reminder of how Father never forgets our paryers!
Thanks, my friend! It’s such a comfort… and a huge responsibility, isn’t it? Knowing that He hears and answers (and He never forgets or ignores us) makes me very careful to pray accurately. “Father, what is Your heart in this matter? How shall I pray?”
Happy Mother’s Day, Janice! ❤️
Congratulations! This is such a major accomplishment and I hope you’ll receive a lot of good feedback!
I like how you interpreted the story of Sara, this character has been important for me lately.
Thanks for sharing!