Perserverance & Prayer

Many of you that know me, know that my home is nestled in trees... AND that I love watching the birds. My sisters tease me and say that when I am old and gray they will wheel me to a window and let me watch the birds - that's all I will need to be entertained.

Quite some time ago we had a robin that came back year after year to build her nest on a downspout outside our bedroom window. Every year some disaster would strike. One year the downspout collapsed in a heavy rainstorm, the nest and eggs falling to the ground. Another year a raccoon woke us up from our sleep as he climbed up the trellis to take the eggs for a midnight snack. The next year, the robin came back again - ever faithful and perservering. I had made up my mind to pray for this robin every day. It was during a time that I was struggling w/ my infertility and to me this robin symbolized my struggle. So morning after morning, I prayed for this robin, that her eggs would hatch and she would have the baby that she had toiled so long to have. One morning we heard the peeps, and it wasn't too long until 4 tiny naked little heads were peeking above the nest, mouths wide open to receive their daily meals. I still prayed every day for that bird. Now, I understand that robins broods are called clutches, and they can lay up to 4 eggs per clutch. Most often 1 or 2 survive. Well, this robin - all four of her eggs hatched and survived. We watched all 4 leave the nest one morning. The last one sitting on the edge for about and hour before he joined the rest of his siblings - a bit timid and perhaps not quite ready to fly the coop. It was a delight for God to allow me to watch these birds grow and leave the nest. But more importantly I discovered what earnest prayer can do. What I learned is the God will answer prayer. Did I expect all 4 babies to mature enough to leave the nest? No, I only asked that one baby make it and God gave me 4! WOW! Through prayer God gave me more than I ever expected. He revealed to me a few years later that I longed for a child - and as I prayed for one - He gave me many. Maybe not a child that grew in my body, but a niece, a nephew, a Godchild, a friend's child. Praise Jesus because the blessing is not only these children, but that I can see that God answers prayers in ways that I may never expect! I never thought I could be so fulfilled until I learned to really listen and hear what His answer would be. I have such a peace and delight in His answers! The answer might not be what I initially asked for, but His divine answer was all I needed and more!

Ask Him. Believe Him! Listen and Rejoice!