Powderful Prayers

I came across this story a few days ago in "Journeys of Joy - 30 True Stories of Abundant Living" and wanted to share it. I should read this and be thankful every time I get the wants for a patio, new flooring, a freshly painted kitchen...because our family needs for nothing.

A large family is a blessing even if sometimes it seems the work will never end and the money will never stretch far enough. My husband and I had four children, and the one thing I always had plenty of was dirty laundry! Two of my boys lived to play outdoors, enjoying every game and making sure they brought back plenty of the outside on their clothes. My youngest son, Robert, enjoyed playing, but having been born with a heart defect, he couldn't be a part of all his brothers' games.

Because Robert was so ill, I couldn't work outside the home. I could only add ten dollars a week to our family income by keeping a friend's two children during the day. That little bit of money helped us buy staples like milk and bread. It also helped us pay the bus fare back and forth to the hospital with Robert, since we didn't have a car. We indulged in no frills, and at times even money for the much needed laundry detergent was hard to find. During one of those lean times, God proved to me how very true to His word He can be.

Before I left for the grocery store that day, I realized my detergent would be gone within a week. I've always loved the Lord and taken Him at His word. That's how I lived with Robert's illness and coped with the many hospital stays that were completely out of my control.

Being a woman who had learned the reality of prayer in those situations, I decided to pray about my weekly shopping. Knowing I wouldn't be able to buy cleaning supplies until the beginning of the next month, I decided I needed divine help. I simply told Jesus that I depended on Him to let the soap powder last until I could afford to buy more. I then thanked Him in advance for what He was going to do.

That Saturday afternoon, as I put the few items I could afford into my shopping cart, I fought the impulse to get the laundry detergent and leave something else off my list. After all, I needed to keep the children's clothes clean for school. But I quickly decided to stand firm and let God help me with this part of m family needs.

When Monday morning rolled around, I was busy cleaning the kitchen when I heard something outside my back door. To my delight, I found a full-sized box of a new detergent hanging in a plastic bag on my door-knob! The noise had been someone delivering a product sample to my home - but not just any product, laundry detergent! I was thrilled that God had answered my prayer so quickly. I thanked Him, put the detergent away, and continued to clean.

When I reached the front of the house, I was still basking in God's provision for the small things in our life. I opened the front door to go sweep the porch, and there, to my total amazement, I found another full-sized box of the same laundry powder! By this time, I was overwhelmed by God's generosity. He had provided even more than I had hoped for. Imagine - my heavenly Father loved me enough to help me keep my children's clothes clean!

A spring filled my step as I continued my household duties. The mail had been delivered, so I ran to our mailbox to pick it up. I almost did a double-take when I spied the now-familiar plastic bag hanging on the mailbox. Here was box number three of the same soap! By now I was praising the Lord and laughing at the same time. Now I had three full-sized boxes of detergent, when only several hours earlier I barely had enough to get through the day.

I gathered my latest box of detergent and headed up the stairs that let to my house and noticed something hanging on my basement door. You guessed it: another box of detergent! I had never had that many washing products at one time in all my life!

So many times we find God trustworthy in the large areas of our lives, but fail to take Him at His word concerning our daily events. He is the God who wants to meet all our needs. Whether it's as monumental as a hospital trip with a very sick child, or as practical as having detergent delivered to the door, He truly cares. All we need to do is believe Him when He says, "Ask and it will be given to you..."(Matthew 7:7)

Since that day I've firmly believed that God not only does the miraculous, but He knows the value of a clean pair of jeans!

By: Mildren Blankenship, Union City, Georgia

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God." Luke 12:6-8