I discovered something sad about myself today: I was really super duper nice to people inquiring about Heavenfest. Why is this so sad? ..because i am NOT super duper nice to everyone else – especially photo card chef customers… i’m just normal to them.

I realized that the reason i’m so nice to Heavenfest people is because they know I’m Christian, they are Christian, and i know they just expect it of me.

I should honor God in how I deal with non-Christians even MORE than how I deal with Christians.

Good lesson today, however small.

I have to deal with all kinds of people doing photo cards. Most of them are quite nice! Some are nice, but very high maintenance, and some are just MEAN and high maintenance. I have been blessed to deal with one of those last kind this week (and last, and the week beFORE last, and the end is not soon in sight). Even before she ordered, she was complaining that she wasn’t going to like the proofs (not kidding). She has been incredibly rude, extremely demanding, and despite my sincere best efforts, completely unsatisfied with anything i send her – which by the way, is the fault of her own submitted photos. She asked me to ‘just fix it’ even though the problem was simply that her photo didn’t work with the card she chose. It goes on and on. I prayed last night, during one especially mean e-mail, that God give me patience, understanding, and that he help us resolve the issue(s evidently from her point of view).

Then who should call today, but the mean bride, simply to chew me out. I just sat and listened and handled it AMAZINGLY well for how I normally take these types of situations. Usually, i’ll cry, get a tummy ache, shake out of control, get weak and light-headed, and be utterly speachless when i’m confronted like that. Today, i sat patiently, completely healthy, and listened. Then when she was done ranting, she actually apologized for being such a difficult person and we came to a solution! God took care of me on this one – All i had to do was ask! I have had to deal with others before like this and the outcome was never so resolved.

Today I had strength that truly surprised me and was NOT in my usual character.

The Bible DOES say to pray about everything! Things you usually just try to figure out on your own…

Thank you, God, for hearing my silly little unimportant-in-perspective prayer and coming through for me in a way that surprised me!

All my life i have been skeptical of the power of prayer. I mean, God’s going to do what he’s going to do – or not do… what good is my tiny little ignorant plea going to do – seriously.  But the Bible insists that there is power in prayer, so foruntately i never gave up on it.

A while back, a friend, and absolute woman of God, felt to come find me in the middle of church to pray with me about my faith in prayer. Bit by bit, from that point, my faith in prayer has grown exponentially.

Little things, but still very significant things happened. I will share a few:

Aria had been having the same nightmare about 4 times a week for a few weeks.  I requested prayer for her in my mommy prayer group. She never had one after that.

I had been praying for a friend of ours to find Christ. He was not religious in the least and one did not grow up in a church and really had no feelings toward religion. Only about 6 months after we started praying for him, he and his wife accepted a Bible fromus and came to church with us. The very next week they found a church of their own! They got involved with a small group at their church and just recently, he was baptized. Dude. Not a coincidence.

Just two weekends ago, i was in the mountains at a women’s retreat. We wanted to go to town and the card wouldn’t start. ugh. So we tried to jump it – we did everything right – we even let it charge for about 10 minutes, to no avail. Finally we prayed about it! Silly, right? Well, after the prayer, the card didn’t start and we were bummed big time. We unhooked the cords and just for fun, she tried the card again and it started. AFTER the cords had been unhooked. Just one second before with the card hooked up, it wouldnt start. It was like God was saying, “I need no cords to start this car!” It was a fun experience.

These are just a few examples. I love knowing now that God really truly does hear and care about our prayers! How amazing is that?! I am so glad to be where I am now. I have an amazing family, a growing love for God that I have never known before, amazing friends to keep me grow in my faith, and a bright future ahead.

God is good. I often wonder to tears why He chose ME to bless like this. It doesn’t seem fair. I am amazed and just so grateful.