I am grateful for more than I can document. His presence, His WORD, His present HELP, His strength, His creation, His plan of salvation and provision of JESUS as my loving and gracious savior, the perfect, and holy sacrifice that purchases my soul unto eternity, and ANSWERED PRAYERS.
Let me pause there, to recall a few answered prayers:
My son was born 6 weeks early, low birth weight, and couldn't "suck." Something was wrong with his blood count. He stayed in the hospital for 9 days (or was is 11?) and I heard the nurses discuss that were only letting him come home with me at that point, because they knew I could handle it and would be attentive and on top of it. You see, the whole time that my baby was in the neo-natal intensive care unit, I spent ALL DAY at the hospital with him, and came home only to sleep and shower. The nurses convinced me that was the right thing to do, because after all, I was trying to "make milk." You might be wondering why, if he couldn't suck?
Well, I was self pumping to get what I could, for a special, "preemie-bottle," which had a special hole in the nipple from which milk would drip or stream out at the perfect rate. Also, my baby was comforted by the skin to skin close contact as I held him for hours and let him "try to suck." He surely got a few drips of Mama's milk that way.
My baby boy was vulnerable and at high risk for something to go terribly wrong. I prayed, "God preserve his brain. Let him grow to be big and strong and wise. May he use his life for YOU."
When my son was growing up, (I don't know if he remembers this.) I used to tell him, "It is more important to me that you serve God.... than the profession you choose. I don't care what profession you choose, as long as you serve God with your life."
He graduated with honors, and scholarships in his future, and biggest in his class. I know genetics helped here, but I will always give God glory and honor and gratitude for answered prayers.
In the truck on the way to his freshman college orientation, I began my focused prayer for God to send (spiritual) ENCOURAGEMENT in to my son's life. His spiritual gas tank running pretty low.
His sister and I prayed for him everyday, for God to send people into his life to speak, "Love and truth and wisdom," and for God to move in his heart to grow his faith and draw him closer in fellowship. Guess what God did?
He sent Sara. An old friend and acquaintance from his summer job a few years ago, may I say that he was smitten early on by her friendly demeanor, crystal blue eyes, and sweet girl charm, but when they started seeing each other summer 2015, there were fiery sparks. She let him know that she was looking for a man that would join her in passion and dedication of serving her Lord.
The Holy Spirit and the WORD went to work, through Sara, in my son's life. She got him in church three times a week, and in a regular Bible study. My son fell in love with Sara and grew leaps in bounds in his faith walk and wisdom. More prayers answered for this Mama !! December 2016 they married 💞
Now, they live everyday, grateful for each other and their life together. They work hard, and strive to serve God.
Gratitude tastes delicious, with my coffee. I would enjoy reading in comments, what you are grateful for.
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