Be careful what you pray for!

 So, I haven't taken the time to do much lately but spur of the moment has prompted me to tell you all about being 'Careful of what you pray for!' Because God really listens!

A number of years ago I when I first moved to GA I began to attend a local Pentecostal church. This church was of my choosing and not of the Catholic religion which I had been raised. (Not that this has anything to do with the story!) But the church did have many outreach programs and opportunities to serve.

After having been there a while and joining not only the church but the choir and drama productions, I decided to try out the womens' ministries. Being too old for the youth group and feeling too young for this group, I was just trying to find a place to learn. Well did I learn!

This unit study was over a book referring to a patchwork of prayer. The book taught several types of prayer such as intercessory, fervent and ummm, transitional?? -Oh I forget now! Either way I learned a lot at the time. We also took the time to make prayer squares for a quilt to be auctioned off as a fundraiser for  the ministry. This was something I was passionate about and decided to take it further on my own and make an actual quilt. I hand quilted it with each of the types of prayer. This I had decided to gift at the annual womens' ministry White elephant Christmas party.

Well in the mean time I had really begun to struggle with the kind of dates I had been attracting. I wanted a real guy who I might want to stick around. I had dreamed about that knight in shining armor and my wedding day since I was little and I figured it was time (heaven forbid we dated for years and like many girls I didn't want to be old and then get married.  I was feeling ready to marry. (Ummm, I was only 19!)

None-the-less the bible study had prompted some new types of prayer. God had renewed my thought process! So I began to pray. One night driving home from that study I prayed not for what I wanted in a husband but what God wanted for me! Here's where I stress for you to be careful what you pray for! Because when I began to pray that, it must have been exactly what God needed to hear from me. That my heart was no longer selfish for what I wanted but ready for what God had in store for me...what he KNEW I needed.

As I continued to pray this weekly, monthly and genuinely ...he prepared not only me but my soon to be husband-unknowingly! And little did I know exactly what I was in for! You see for so long I was praying and listing that tall, dark, handsome man with features that I thought I needed. Much to my surprise that was not it at all.

Some time later a friend of mine from church decided to set me up on a blind date. I reluctantly agreed, only after I got to see a picture! My prayer then was, Lord show me somehow if this is who I was praying for, having left all I thought I wanted behind and trusting him. (The funny thing about this situation is that my now husband and I had hung out with the same circle of friends yet had never met....Only in HIS time!)

We met at the local Chili's (separately - in such case that the date was awful!) He rode his chopper (his only mode of transportation....I turned up my snobby nose! Dressed in a black Harley T,blue jeans and boots (I didn't ever wear black at the time) we had a brief intro then went in and sat down. One of the very first things I said was.."I don't date guys with long hair". Hey at least he knew where I stood! Needless to say, he came over with a very short hair cut 3 weeks later! I knew I was in trouble then!

Long story short, I knew that God had sent me this man. It wasn't a butterflies or lust at first sight but I knew that I had gotten exactly what I had prayed for. Even today the butterflies are come and go. which I am glad for because I think that it helps us to know it is not always easy and a relationship is not handed to you. It requires work.

Finally,when I felt threatened by his overwhelming interest (remember the sudden haircut!) after only a few short months I tried to get rid of him (I tease and say that that was the only time he brought me flowers!) he wouldn't let me run and I knew he was sticking around. I was scared. I couldn't believe it! To this day I am thankful for what God has sent to me. It hasn't always been ice cream with sprinkles...matter of fact it hasn't always even been creamy! But it was exactly what God new would stand the test of time! We work well together. When I am down he balances me out. When I am ill and frustrated with the children....he is cool and level headed. And vice-versa! I am very thankful for this.

If I had to list everything at that time that I wanted in a man, he is nothing that I thought that I had wanted but everything that God knew I needed. I love him and he loves me. Marriage is work and we are making it work. It's not all bells and whistles. It's not always filled with conversation. It's not always movie-esque. BUT we make it work because we love each other and are willing to listen to what God has for us.

So, lesson learned. Be careful what you pray for. God really does listen and he will give you the deepest desires of your heart. Pray from your heart and pour out your soul. It will be fed if you are willing to receive (regardless of your situation)!