Prayer is powerful

I put my own name on the temple prayer roll along with the names of family who are struggling last week.  Oh how I have felt those prayers already today.  Prayer is powerful. 

I work.  I hate it because it  requires me to rely on others to care for my kids at times.   It stresses me and my time and energy are spent somewhere other than on my children, and on something that I don't even value.    I've felt it was necessary to make ends meet however, and so I continue to work.  Last night everything came to a head with work and I was feeling STRESS!  The kind of stress that wakes you up at 4 am and you can't go back to bed.  So, I got up and read a scripture this morning and prayed.  Do you know what scripture I happened to read? 3 Nephi chapter 13.  Do you know what Jesus says in his last few verses to his apostles?  The twelve disciples in their ministry are commanded to take no thought for temporal things.  

" 25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

 29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof."

 

I pondered these verses and felt him speaking directly to me.  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God"  I need to be doing this by focusing my energy on my family for this season.  Not on some corporate mandate. 

 

Well, not long after that thought, a cousin, who I rarely get to talk with, happened to call out of the blue.  She,without knowing, gave me the advice that I was needing.  A testament that prayers are often answered through others (my prayers today) because as she spoke I felt as if God himself was speaking saying "Have faith.  It may not make sense on paper.  But you are promised that if you do all you can do, he will take care of the rest."  I haven't taken that leap of faith.  I need to envision him with open arms waiting to catch me and I need to leap, knowing, without doubt, that he will catch me.   '

 

Because I have been of so little faith, I see Father in Heaven blessing me to even try and have faith.  Clint recently got a job teaching a class at Salt Lake Community College.  It pays double per hour what he is making now, it helps him get paid (and motivated) to study for the upcoming NABCEP test, AND IT BRINGS IN AS MUCH AS HALF OF WHAT I'M MAKING NOW.  It's God's little way of saying...."Angie, I know this is hard and scary for you so I'm going to give you a glimpse of what I can do.  Now take the other step and I promise I'll be there."  I have to let go of control.  I have to give the control over to God.  I have to trust him.  It is so scary for me.  BUT I know I need to trust him.  I need to take that step and let go.  So.....Clint and I will be doing some discussing tonight about how to do this. 

 

Then my visiting teacher came over, who I'd forgot was coming, and I was able to cry on her shoulder about all of it.  She is praying for me to.  She challenged me to write down these types of experiences so I can remember down the road, when I am feeling weak or questioning why I made a decision, I can look back and remember.  So....I'm taking the challenge.  I'm so thankful for my knowledge of the Gospel, for a loving Father in Heaven and his unconditional love, and for prayer.