Keep on Praying

"Keep on praying!"

Haven’t you heard this many times before? I know I have.

But proof that God hears and answers our prayers became real for me once again when I got the news that something I’ve been praying about for fourteen years was answered!

My son, Chris, shared with me two weeks ago that he is now praying EVERY morning for each of his kids and his wife and marriage. Chris and Peggie have been married fifteen years. They met when both of them were working at the Cannon Beach Conference Center. Their son, Cody, is fourteen, and his little sister, Mollie, is four. They wanted lots of kids, but it has been difficult. They love their kids fiercely.

Chris and Peggie recently attended a Basic Youth Conflicts seminar in Portland, and gained a lot of insight about the Bible and how it applies to their lives and the lives of their children. I remember attending this seminar in the ‘70’s. The seminar addresses “seven Biblical principles that apply to every person, regardless of culture, religion, age, education, or social status. It emphasizes the factors needed to develop and maintain healthy, growing relationships with God, family members, and friends.” You can learn more about it at their website: http://iblp.org/iblp/seminars/

Chris related that he always leaves for work about forty-five minutes before time to be there, so he doesn’t have to feel rushed about being in his place at the wood mill when the shift begins. After attending the seminar, Chris has begun to use some of that “before work” time to pray about specific things that are going on in his family’s lives. They visited here two weeks ago, and the change in the relationship between Chris and his son, Cody, is remarkable.

Chris said he learned that the two things kids say most about their dads is that they respond to them in anger, and they don’t keep their promises. Watching Chris listen to his son, and calmly respond to him, was a miracle. His response to his son caused me, several times, to stop in my tracks and listen, with tears in my eyes.

This is a HUGE answer to prayer for me. Whatever your concerns, your hopes, your worries, your fears, for those you love, I would encourage you to take them to the Cross, and keep bringing them there until you hear them answered. Isaiah 62:6-7 says to put the Lord in remembrance of His promises, to not keep silence, and to give Him no rest until He follows through with them.

Claim this promise. He will hear you, and He will answer.

Whatever you are praying on behalf of someone else, KEEP ON PRAYING!

-Mary Hagle