What do we know about prayer?
Prayer heals.
Prayer manifests.
Prayer strengthens.
Prayer unifies.
Prayer conquers.
Prayer changes everything.
So the real question is, why don't we do it more often?
I have come to find that prayer and faith can be tremendously powerful, life changing, and commanding, taking a supernatural form.
Faith can be defined as having complete trust and confidence in someone or something. It is safe to say that prayer and faith, go hand in hand, and can be found in the deepest pocket of every Christian mother.
At the end of every single day, I can more easily count my mistakes I've made then my successes as a mother. I lose my temper, I say no often when it could have easily been a yes, I take for granted the most special, perfect moments that are set before me that are forever gone, and I'll never get back.
However, the one thing that holds true for every day of my life, I pray. And with that, comes the beautiful waterfall effect of my children praying. Especially at such a young age, they are imitators and followers. They act as you do, not as you say. As my children have already come to grow and trust and have such a genuine love for God, I feel that at least I'm doing something right.
I get asked so often with our life and what we've been through and are currently undertaking and... what is yet to come,
"How are you going to manage this?"
"How will you get through that?"
"No one can handle all of that. It just doesn't seem possible."
And so often my response is simply, "God's got this. He has it so I will get through it, and I will do it."
I currently find myself in the position of crossroads. I will be giving birth to my fourth baby at the end of summer. My day job is an elementary teacher. I love it, I always have, and I always will. It truly may be one of the most rewarding professions on the planet.
However, one would think that time after time, baby after baby, passing each tiny one over to another's arms to be cared for would simply...get easier. You'd be used to it by now.
For those with that impression, let me gently correct you that you are wrong.
Hundreds of thousands of women do it. They have to do it. You must put in your time because now you are one of the providers for these babies.
But it doesn't change the mind-boggling fact to me that I will soon have four small children, three of which that will still be at home, including a newborn. The thought that at this point, under the given circumstances, I will once again, pass over a tiny infant and have to leave her, it's a gut-wrenching, horrifying, dreadful experience that I would not wish upon any living thing on this earth.
I can't tell you the number of battles I have had with my spouse over this. I can't tell you the number of battles I've had with myself over this. And I can't begin to tell you the number of self-loathing pity parties I have had over the thought of what is more than likely to come.
However, a couple months ago I decided I was done. I was done fighting. I was done planning. I was done trying to figure out this master plan all on my own. For the first time in my entire life, I gave it all over completely to God.
Nothing is impossible for Him. And I realize that His plan for me and my heart's desires may not connect when I selfishly need them or want to. But coming to the full realization that He has a better plan laid out before me...one better than I ever could imagine for myself, with incessant prayer and overflowing trust, it has currently come to satisfy me.
Do I think that comes with a big, fat check in the mail from an anonymous person that will help me pay off all of my debt and never have to work another day the rest of my life? Absolutely not.
Do I think that comes with the easiest, worry free, tranquil path ahead of me? Absolutely not.
Do I think that comes with everyday full of smiles, no tears, no hardships, or problems? Absolutely not.
But I do think it comes with grace. It comes with patience. It comes with understanding. It comes with trust. It comes with refinement. It comes with endurance. It comes with tolerance. It comes with strength. It comes with fortitude.
And most importantly, a perfect plan. One that I may not understand for quite some time. A future that if I freely give myself and my selfish plans and hopes over to God that it will be exactly part of the masterpiece that He has laid out for me.
At the end of the day, I'm a stubborn, flawed, impatient, high-strung, over emotional woman. But thankfully I have one person in this universe to turn to, that has the power to change my heart that will ultimately guide my path, to the person I am still meant to become.
When I'm lost, when I'm feeling blessed, when I'm doubtful, when I'm worried, when I'm angry, when I'm anxious, when I'm frustrated, when I'm weak and tired and don't think I can make it through another day...I pray.
The power of a praying wife and mother...the power of prayer. Simply tell the doubters to step aside and watch it happen.
Pray. It causes miracles.
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Long is a teacher, author, columnist, grad student, photographer, and most importantly, wife and mother to three, soon to be four children under the age of six.
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