Faith

My daughter's full name is Emma Faith. It's definitely not a coincidence that she continually teaches me more and more about faith and how to walk it out. Yesterday she went back to the allergist and had bloodwork done to more definitively find out what she's allergic to. I'm really looking forward to having clear results! But I was more than a little anxious about having her blood taken. I felt terrible to put her through that and pictured her screaming while we held her down so I just kept covering it in prayer. To be honest, I was praying it would be a pain-free experience, but didn't really believe my prayer. You know the type of prayer you pray wishfully, but never actually put any heart into it because it seems so unrealistic? 

*God, the doctor's say it's terminal, but You are a Healer! 

*Redeem the years of infertility and countless months of waiting and bless them with a baby.

*Take away the depression and fill him with Joy. Transform him into a new man.

We pray all kinds of things, big and little, but don't really believe God to deliver. Deep down, we mostly believe that that person is going to die, they'll never have a baby, and he's never really going to change because our experiences, our culture and logic all tell us that impossible things don't happen. Miracles maybe happen once in a while to 'other' people, but it'll never happen for me. Why do we doubt God like that? It's really just a lack of faith and trust that God is who He says He is and can/will do what He says He can/will do! I'm just being honest, because I know I pray those prayers more often than I'd like to admit and I'm guessing some of you do too.  

"Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

That verse comes from a section in scripture where a desperate father brings his son to Jesus. The boy had a spirit in him that for years caused him to have seizures and foam at the mouth. The disciples had tried everything they knew to cast out the spirit, but nothing worked. After Jesus commanded the spirit to leave the boy, the disciples asked Jesus why they were unable to cast it out. He responded (I love this) "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." Our prayers DO matter and they CAN and WILL change things if we believe. 

And just for a little encouragement, Emma whimpered ONE TIME during the entire experience and did not cry at all. AND a dear sweet friend of mine just broke the news that she is expecting a baby after struggling to get pregnant for some time! My heart is bursting with excitement over all the praises!!! I love that we serve a God who wants our prayers and listens to our requests! :)