Praying With Faith & Hope

Have you ever felt trapped or helpless? Maybe money and available resources have kept you from experiencing such moments of desperation. Last week, team P.U.L.S.E. (Wade Norman, Jean Johnston & Tiffany Nickles) went to visit a home with a few workers from YWAM (Youth with a Mission). One of the houses we stopped at was a one room home filled with five residents. A widow and 2 of her 4 children anxiously invited us in. There was no room for all of us to be in their home at the same time so most of us sat on the ground outside. During the conversation we discovered that the widow and her youngest and only son were infected with H.I.V. The widow and her two daughters really enjoyed our company and we really enjoyed theirs. I (Wade, pictured above) felt helpless and humbled because it was all we had to offer.
The original plan for that day was to help YWAM finish building a restroom for this family. However, due to rain our plans for completing the restroom were put on hold. My heart was filled with pain as I looked at the two girls as my own sisters. I tried to imagine my own sisters going through similar hardships. It was difficult to say the least.
Before we departed from their home I was asked to pray for the family. This request alone compounded the pain I felt for this family. What could I possibly pray that would take their eyes off the reality of their current circumstances? I felt unequipped but I prayed anyway. As I began to pray the pain that surrounded my heart slowly turned to joy. God wasted no time reminding me that He cared for these people more than I could ever know. Who was I to think that I had anything to offer this family? God exposed my prideful motives that I had buried under my heart. I was convicted as the words of my heart foolishly belittled the power of prayer and by belittling the power of prayer I was belittling the power of God.
This situation, like many others, was an opportunity to trust Him. I needed to believe that God could help this family and that He would help this family in the way that He chooses. Sometimes I want God to work the way I want but God is not afraid to blow my mind by doing something totally different. This family will continue to be reached out to and loved by the local ministry here and I will continue to pray for God to do a miracle in their lives. Praise His Holy name and lets give thanks that we have hope in Him!
--Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are acheiving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal --2 Corinthians 4:16-18.