Feb
20
2018
The Faith Of A Child
Posted in Faith 4 Comments
My husband is very handy.
He has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and an MBA as well.
The further along he went in his career, he did less engineering and more management.
If truth be told, he thinks fondly of the days as a test engineer.
Just give me a project, let me complete it, then give me another one, he explained.
That desire for projects turned into woodworking as a hobby.
He was always good at fixing things, building things, and making things.
He purchased woodworking equipment for a shop in the unfinished part of our basement.
Our farm table in our kitchen, the armoire in our family room are very special to me.
He has done carvings, and made many other gifts for our children as well.
I never thought we would ever have to buy wood furniture.
Unfortunately, time to complete these projects is always a factor.
We never have repairmen in our home since my husband can fix anything.
What he does not know, he learns.
I am very blessed indeed.
As soon as I mention something needs to be fixed, he is there with his toolbox.
About twenty years ago, my husband wanted to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
He wanted to travel and build houses for people.
He asked me what I thought.
I said he should go.
Every year, he goes on a build either nationally or internationally.
Since he is so handy and can build and fix almost anything, he has often been a team leader.
He has met many wonderful people along the way.
He has many stories to tell of those times helping others.
My husband’s dream is to build a house on every continent.
He is going on another build soon.
After that is completed, he will have Africa, Australia, and Antarctica left on which to build.
He learns the language if necessary; he learns about the culture.
When my husband began going on the Habitat trips, our youngest daughter was very young.
She was praying for her daddy while he was away.
All of a sudden, she began to pray for the little girl who would be living in the house.
She prayed for the house that her daddy was building.
Today, you sometimes learn a little bit about the family you are serving before you arrive.
Back then, you only learned about them when you got there and met the family in person.
This particular trip, our youngest daughter was so sure there would be a little girl in that house.
Not just any little girl but a little girl her own age.
My husband would make sure he would call once or twice while he was gone.
On that first phone call, he wanted me to prepare our youngest daughter for the truth.
There was no little girl in the house that he was building.
The house was being built for a woman who was a widow.
Even though I told our daughter what my husband had said, she was still so sure.
She continued to pray for the little girl in the house that daddy built.
The day came when we had to pick my husband up at the airport.
We waited in the short term parking lot until he came outside.
I pulled up to the curb and he put his suitcase in the back.
He looked at me with a strange look on his face.
I knew that he had something to tell us.
As soon as he got in the car, our youngest daughter asked if the little girl liked her new house.
When I got there, my husband explained, there was only one woman who lived in that house.
She was a widow, which means her husband died, he clarified.
He looked at me and continued.
On the last day, when we gave her the keys to her house, she wanted to thank everyone.
She got up and told us that her daughter and granddaughter were so excited to move in.
YAY!!! our little daughter exclaimed with excitement.
None of that was any surprise to her.
She knew all along there was a little girl, her age, going to live in that house.
The faith of a child.
The surety that what you pray for is heard and answered.
The faith of a child boosts our faith.
The honest prayers of a child has no agenda, only faith.
He called a little child to him, and had him stand among them. And he said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2-4)
The faith of a child.
Believing.
Trusting.
No agenda, just certainty that God hears and God answers.
Even when my husband wanted me to prepare our daughter for disappointment, she prayed.
Even when he told me that there was no little girl in that house, she believed.
Even when the situation looked as if my daughter’s prayers were in vain, she trusted.
Even when I thought I knew better, my daughter was right all along.
I think we fail to realize that our testimony of answered prayers boosts the faith of another.
We are asked to pray for someone yet often never hear the outcome of those prayers.
We are asked to lift someone up before the Father but never know if our prayers are answered.
My faith and my own prayer life was challenged because of my little daughter.
We can be so skeptical when we grow up.
We can be so cynical when the situation seems to prove that our prayers are in vain.
We trust in what we see and in where the situation seems to be headed.
We fail to remember that God is sovereign; God is in control all along.
That is when life gets exciting.
That is when we learn how very far our prayers reach.
All of us alive today are the result of someone’s prayers.
Prayers span the generations and they are powerful.
God hears.
God answers.
Let’s lay down our agendas, our skepticism, and our cynicism and simply believe.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
My husband is in rehab after decades of alcohol abuse. This is fruition of a 5 yr old promise from the Lord to me…an if/then promise. My part took so long, but the Lord was working and knowing the whole time. We are walking out miracles of provision and timing…miracles. His family is like, we’ll see…
But your writing today, reminds me of the source of my supply and His keeping promises. I can’t wait to see how this is going to turn out…they can see, but I already know!
Jodi,
You touched my heart with your honesty. Praise God that HE is the Source of your supply. Praise God that HE is the Promise-keeper. God works all things together for our good and His glory. Blessings to you and your husband.
Gina
What a wonderful story. Thank you.
Lisa,
I am so delighted you were blessed. I desire that same childlike faith: trusting in God’s goodness and tender mercy.
Gina