Camp Day 2: God Stories and Prayer Requests

Posted on 06.16.08 in Faith Blogging and there are 5 comments.

I was a part of a different 40 day fast a couple years ago.

It was for two little boys in our small group from church. John had Down’s Syndrome and Sam had autism. Sam also had serious gastrointestinal problems that severely limited his diet.

There were about six families in that small group and it was amazing to spend 40 days with a common purpose and passion. We spent several nights praying together, worshipping together and standing in faith with John’s parents and Sam’s parents that God would do something amazing in and through those boys.

Honestly, though? My faith was pretty lame. I thought it was a great idea to pray for them, but if I was really honest with myself I didn’t truly expect to see change. Maybe I hoped for it, but I certainly didn’t expect it.

Well, the first change that I saw was that by the end of the 40 days, Sam was eating a regular diet. His mom didn’t need to bring special snacks to our small group meetings just for Sam. She didn’t need to carefully monitor his diet.

Not long after that, Sam’s parents decided to have him retested for autism because they’d seen so much change in him. He failed - meaning he was no longer autistic. He even tested as having a higher than normal IQ. The change in Sam was nothing short of amazing.

And John made such significant progress that the next fall, he was kicked out of the Special Education program at his school because he didn’t qualify anymore.

It was incredible for me to see the change in those boys over the course of the year. I’d known both boys for quite awhile and the fact that they were significantly different boys after the fast was undeniable - even for this traditional Southern Baptist girl.

It challenged me and built my faith. I’d always heard that my God is a God of miracles, but I’d never really and truly seen it firsthand.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

What’s Your God Story?

I don’t think we brag on God enough here in the blogosphere. I don’t, anyway. It can be something little or something big, but let’s brag on God today. Write a post on your blog or share your story in the comments.

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In 1983, my wife and I were working at a street mission in Waco on Elm Street.  At the time it was the red light district.  We held our services on Friday and Saturday night, right in the heat of the action.

There were drug deals, hookers turning tricks, stabbings, shootings and all manner of evil lurking outside our doors.  It was a scary time for our parents, because we took our one-year old baby with us.  Truth be told, it was a little scary for my wife too.  For whatever reason, I had no fear most of the time. God’s hand was on us down there.

We had a pimp come in one night.  He was there to let us know that he didn’t like our influence down there.  While we were handing our clothes and food (we cooked hot dogs almost every night) we shared Jesus with those that came in.  We prayed for miracles, and very often miracles happened.

It turns out that one of the hookers had gotten off heroin, stopped turning tricks, and returned to her family.  She had abandoned her husband and two kids for her drug habit.  After repeated visits to our mission (we prayed for her often), God gave her a vision of what her life could be, and she went for it.

Last I heard, she was a tour guide at the Grand Canyon, her husband had a great job, her kids were happy and they were faithfully following God. 

She who is forgiven much, loves much.

Amen, I being chief!!!

God is in the business of Restoration and recycling.

my brother-in-law died of cancer three years ago. he was 22. i visited him on christmas day, three days before he died. i’ve never seen life and death at war in the same body. at least not so clearly. it brought so much to light. mostly, reminding me that in a sense, the same was happening in me. eventually, death will come. but in the meantime, i can be a vessel for the work of God.

my brother-in-law became a christian while battling cancer. for him, cancer brought salvation. quite the paradox, but isn’t that the picture of salvation.

I’m so amazed by how much he loves me when I am so undeserving.

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