God's Abundant Blessings

The Cafe welcomes Sherri Woodbridge!

Read Matthew 10:26-34

I read a blog post the other day about a woman who sought affirmation from God that He was hearing her prayers. She had been raised to believe that laying a fleece before Him was taboo, but at this point in her life, she didn't know what else to do. She was at the end of her rope in so many ways and desperately needed to know that God was listening. If He chose to say wait or no, that was okay just so long as He was listening.

So, she approached the throne of God and made her request. She asked her heavenly Father, that if is He did indeed hear her requests, could He please send her a red or a yellow rose.

She got up the next morning as usual,dressed, and headed to work. One of her co-workers came into her office. This wasn't just any co-worker, but the one that annoyed her due to his jovial,joyful attitude. He was too happy. Why did this annoy her? Because… she wasn't.

As usual, he was joyful and full of smiles,and stood to greet her. He stood with his hands behind his back. She wasn't in the mood for his smiles. Somehow, lately he had sensed that and so this day, he had brought her a gift in hopes of cheering her up. He brought his hands to the front and there within them, he held a red rose. There, in that office,she let go of the bitterness and frustration she had held against him and knew…God heard her prayers.

I sat at my computer after I reading her entry and as I stared at the screen, tears began to roll down my cheeks. It was at that moment that I prayed for a rose. A fleece in the form of a scented bloom and any color would do.

We are in the process of moving. Packing up our much too many belongings, putting them in storage and heading who knows where. Temporarily homeless. Unable to meet our financial demands in our current place of residence, seeking God's will for our next placement within His perfect will, while not knowing what that looks like or where it truly is.

With each box that is taped and labeled and ready for storage, the question remains in the back of my mind as to when these boxes of mementos, memories and more will be opened. The bigger question that haunts me is whether or not we are doing the right thing. Believing we are and at the same time, feeling like we've gone absolutely crazy.

Sitting there before the computer, I laid a fleece before the throne of my heavenly Father. I asked for affirmation that we were doing the right thing. I didn't need to know where He was taking us or when or how. I just wanted to know we were being obedient and not crazy, as a few had alluded.

The next day my son was over and I was in the other room when the doorbell rang. He answered it and I could hear him talking to someone, but by the time I had walked upstairs, the visitor had left. I asked my son who had been at the door and he said it was one of my friends. She had brought something for me and he said that he had put it on the kitchen counter. I turned around and looking into the kitchen, there on the counter, in a tin can, stood six perfect, as beautiful as I've ever seen, red roses.

I am overwhelmed at the goodness of God. He doesn't just answer our prayers, but goes beyond and makes sure we know He's listening. and that He answers – abundantly.

Jesus,help us to remember that you care about everything – every small thing to even the largest of things. Help us to remember that you don't want to just answer our prayers, but you long to answer them – abundantly.

In Him,

Sherri

Sherri has written for over 30 years and has a passion for encouraging the weary and offering hope to the hopeless, giving all to the glory of God. She has been married 29 years to a wonderful man and they now live in Southern Oregon. They have three wonderful children and a beautiful new granddaughter.

Join Sherri at her personal blog, Planting Gardens