Prayer: Opening Eyes to See the Miracle

My heart sank when Rich came into my parents kitchen where I was nursing Greta to let me know that our van was overheating...

We just sat staring at one another for a few moments - silently speaking volumes. We both winced internally, simultaneously considering the cost involved for repairs and the probability of turning around.  Boys gathered around us with quizzical looks {they don't yet understand how to speak with eyes only...}.  Our car was packed to the brim with food, clothes and books -ready to embark on our yearly cabin getaway.  How do you explain that this long anticipated getaway might not happen?

He had dropped me off just 15 minutes before so I could feed Greta while he went for gas.  Funny how life can change in such a short span of time. 

Since he couldn't find the source of the problem, he set out to take the car to the shop.  As worry set in, I gathered the boys around and {as cheerfully as I could} explained to them that we needed to pray.

Our van was in trouble.  We needed God to intervene - someway, somehow.  Right there the four of us prayed.  Greta sat in my lap, grey eyes flitting from face to face, as we simply asked God to move and supernaturally provide for us so that we could still go to the cabin. 

It wasn't anything fancy.  It wasn't a lengthy prayer.  But it was enough to change my horizontal focus to a vertical focus.  Peace replaced worry, enabling me to look into those sweet boy faces and tell them with all confidence that God was going to move.  Just watch.  Somehow, someway, He was going to move.

Twenty minutes later Rich calls, sounding confused. He starts to explain that the mechanic could find nothing wrong with our van.  NOTHING.  I began shrieking and excitedly telling him that we had just prayed that God would move.  I called the boys in to tell them the news...

The mechanic was pretty dubious about the prospect of us taking this van with stuff packed in every crevice and full of hopeful children up to the mountains.  But he said if we insisted on going, to pack water in case the van should overheat on the way up.

Full of faith, we bought water just in case and set out for our mountain retreat!  We never ended up needing the water!!!

Prayer is so important.  It opens up our eyes to our need for God and helps us to recognize His provision.

It is vitally important to bring our children into the process as we model everyday reliance on God. It brings the abstract notions of God into the everyday living out of our faith. And God uses these everyday opportunities to showcase His glory and His provision!

And vacation couldn't have been sweeter!

Linking up to: Faith-Filled Friday, Thrive @ Home,