prayers of the faithful...

About a year ago, a precious older woman from my church went home to our Lord.  She came faithfully to church every Sunday, despite health problems.  I would often see her a couple times a week at the Y, exercising (her, not me) chatting with her, my little ones in tow.  She would speak of her family, a mama of boys (special connection with her there), grandmother of boys, great grandmother of boys (and one girl!) wife, mother and grandmother of military men.  But every Sunday, she was there, usually only with a daughter-in-law, no sons, or grandsons ever present.

Then she passed unexpectedly.  And that following Sunday after her service, I sat in the back of the church and looked.  And what I saw brought more tears to my eyes than the sadness of her being gone.  There before me filling pews upon pews was her family.  Sons, daughter-in-laws, grandsons, wives, great grandchildren, nephews.  And this precious mother of boys-there was no mistaking her family, I don't think I've ever seen a family with such strong facial features resembling one another -there is no mistaking who's family they belong to!

And in my heart, I felt the Lord gave me just a glimpse of the greatness He has for this family and what He would do and was doing.  My heart rejoiced at the joy she would have of knowing what was answered to years of prayer for her family, the legacy that would come from her faith and devotion to our loving Father.

Today, I watched, tears running as her grandson and his wife, pregnant with a great grandson professed their faith, professed their need for Christ, professed their sins and their great love for Jesus and were baptized.  Within this year of her passing, her sons and their families have returned to the church, family members have been freed from strongholds, a grandson and his family have moved to another country as soon-to-be missionaries, granddaughter-in-laws have accepted Christ as well as great grandchildren.  And it continues, I could go on and on.  I have been blessed by this family and by their testimony.  It is a humbling honor to see the great things of our LORD and what He is doing in this precious family.

May we never doubt the prayers that He hears, the prayers we sing, we cry, we yell, we whisper out to Him.  This precious woman did not see it with her own eyes but with faith she believed, and He answered in His timing.  We praise Him!

"but God has surely listened
       and heard my voice in prayer."~Psalm 66:19