A Miracle in the Making

Each day I spend time in prayer and meditation. I usually try to do it when I first wake up so that I am in a positive and peaceful mindset for the day. For me, this works out well. Prayer and meditation has taught me to be mindful of how I am feeling and to do the things that are good for my health and overall wellness. I pray often for not only myself but for my family, my friends, my students, their parents and others as needed.

At the end of each year, I like to write a letter to God. In that letter I usually ask for something specific for the upcoming year. It could be a prayer for myself, like finally getting the work-life balance thing down or something to help me be proactive with my health but often I like to use that specific prayer for a need for someone else. I fold the letter up, put it in an envelope and seal it. I write the date on it and the open it on the exact same day at the end of the next year.

In writing these letters, I have seen God work. I believe God always answers my prayers. Sometimes it's a yes. Sometimes its a no. Sometimes it's a not right now. However, throughout the year there are times when I remember my letter and think about what I wrote. Of course, I do not remember specifically what I wrote but I do recall the gist of it. When the letter comes to mind, I think about what I have seen so far in my life that God has specifically done toward giving me an answer to that prayer.

Last year I noticed a friend having a truly challenging time with life, with family and with friends. It seemed no matter what my friend was doing, it was a struggle. So, at the end of 2020 my letter to God was a specific prayer for my friend. I remember starting the letter with something like, "God, in crazy faith I am going to believe you for..."

As the year has progressed, I have continued to watch my friend struggle and deal with challenges. However, in the last month I have also witnessed the tide begin to change in their favor. While I continued to encourage my friend each day, I knew it was up to them to seek out the help and assistance they needed to sort out the things in life that were causing them so much angst. My job was to simply be there to support them.

Last week, I realized that I was literally in the middle of watching a miracle happen before my eyes. While my friend is not out of the woods yet and life for them is still pretty difficult, I am seeing a change in how they are handling the challenges they are faced with and that is what's making the difference. My friend appears to be happier, accepting the things they cannot change and understand, first and foremost, that our choices do indeed have consequences that can last a lifetime if we let them.

I am so proud of my friend and I am so grateful to be watching this transition. Most of all, I am thankful that God made me aware of what I am actually witnessing. Prayer is powerful and prayer does change things. Things may not come out exactly how we prayed for them but I do believe God does answer our prayers.

What have your been praying for?

Are you in the middle of a miracle?