Simple Prayers Being Answered in a Big Way

        Lately the sentence/title "Simple Prayers Being Answered in a Big Way" has been hitting me pretty hard.  I've been experiencing God in some strange ways lately through other people's lives. It is funny how we say a simple prayer at the end of a long prayer and that simple prayer is the one that gets answered. We don't expect the little one to get answered because it is one that we usually throw on at the end just for safe keeping and maybe even to wrap up what the bigger one is saying. Sometimes you also wonder why you are praying that little pray when really nothing big is happening. Yeah, little things might be happening like keeping people safe on the way to and from somewhere but we usually see that as an every day chance. 

         We see that as a chance but when you see that something bigger has been answered then there aren't such things as chances anymore when you are praying that certain end prayer. The prayer or request that I usually do especially for my family and friends is this one: "Please keep them safe." Sometimes it is just that or sometimes if something certain is happening I will add on to the end of that with the certain something. I will admit that with this friend that I have kept praying for for about 5 years now. That was my usually way of ending the prayers. It started off because it was something nice to say and everyone needs to be safe. 

          Then as the years went on and as I was seeing the difference it was making in my friend's life, the more I was praying it because I wanted it to be true in my friend's life. I wanted my friend to be safe. I'll admit to that I've seen and heard dangerous things in my friend's field/career that happened and there is no way I would forgive myself if it ever happened to my friend. It is like the more I live life and the more I pay attention, the more that request really mean something to me when I pray for that friend. I'm using this friend as an example because something big and scary just happen in their life that we both saw God in and I will never say a prayer for the friend without saying that simple prayer ever again. 

           It was like God showing me in the worst way possible but in a good way at the same time that those simple prayers can have a big answer. You might keep praying them and think nothing is going to happen and it is no good to pray that simple prayer but you are wrong. You never know when a person needs to be safe from something and how bad that something really is. It was also another way of telling me not to give up. 

           I won't say much about the situation because I don't want to put my friend on the spot that much. I will say, though, my friend did make a video of what really happened when they got shot at and it made tears come to my eyes. Now my friend doesn't know that yet. I think those tears were tears of joy because it should have been a lot worse but God was in every step of the way. God was directly talking to my friend. My friend did things very unusual that night and know my friend knows why. My friend was experiencing God at work in that moment of their life. With two wild dogs coming after my friend and two bullets actually zipped by his head, it is a miracle my friend is still alive in some ways. 

           I will also say this in the video my friend made, my friend couldn't even talked about it without that scary and shaky voice and this video was made a few days after if not the day after. If a person talks like that after something that big happened, you know it was really, really, really scary for that person. I couldn't even think how scary it was or I would start to cry and have throughout these past few days. My friend even said in the video that he couldn't even sleep at night in his own house on his on land where he should feel really safe. It was hard for him to go to sleep after that. The thoughts were just bothering him and still are. They are still working on the whole case to see if they can find what was going on that night. 

          I just keep thinking how amazing it was to see God in everything even in the video my friend made. The video just made it rock solid that God was there with him and that even the simple prayers that people pray can be answered in a big way no matter how long it takes you to see the answer to those simple prayers. God will make something happen. I know I can say this about me. sadly, sometimes it takes the hardest things to remove my stubborn view out of sight. I'm glad God is removing my stubbornness while I am single right now.

          I will be honest before the video came out about the whole thing, I was thinking about the what ifs and what's next. I can honestly tell you I don't know how I would  have reacted if things didn't go the way they did since losing the people I can about is my worst nightmare. God was in every little step, answering every little prayer that has been and will been prayed for him. 

God's Movement = Blessings

Genesis 1:27-28New International Version (NIV)

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earthand subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

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        When God first created the earth, He meant for it to bless us. He meant for it to bring about goodness in every way. He meant for it to bring us promises and empower our good. He wants us to cultivate the earth and bring it to Him. Cultivate it by planting plants and taking care of the animals that He put here on the earth.

     
       "The mission of God is to extend His blessing and glory to all the earth through mankind."-Nick Roland-Pastor

        The two songs that we sung during this sermon was "You're a Good, Good Father" and "God, We Stand in Amazement". Creation was Movement 1 and then Movement 2 was the Curse. It is in Genesis 3:6-14. The marriage between Adam and Eve fell apart. Adam wanted her to die. In the first 3 chapters of Genesis, God was in control with everything. But then the Fall happened, that is when we took the control over our own lives.
        Then in chapter 12 in Genesis that is where God talks about Grace.

Genesis 12New International Version (NIV)

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

       God's blessing on Abram and Sarah was to help the human race get back on track. He said to Abram, "that God will bless the nations through him". That was the Grace part of God.  He trusts us to start all over again. He trusts us enough again to bless Abram and bless the human race through him.

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Galatians 3:8-9New International Version (NIV)

8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”[a] 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.       

My Worst Nightmare

         Sometimes people ask you "what is your worst nightmare?" Before yesterday, I would have said "I don't know" or I would randomly say something without even thinking. That all changed when a situation happened earlier this week that I just found out about yesterday. I've thought about it too and it would have to be it. Sorry if this scares you but isn't this a nightmare to most of us anyways.
           My worst nightmare is that someone I love and/or care about deeply gets shot at. You never think about that until it almost happens to a person you know. I won't say much about the situation because I don't know much yet. I'll be honest, though, I stayed awake thinking about this whole thing when I heard the news. My anxiety also went up to 150% when I heard. I'm not the person who needs to know these things. I'm already a person that cares deeply for other people so I am already worried about the little things so hearing things like this makes it much worse for me.
            I stayed awake for a hour almost talking to God and playing the what ifs in my head even though I was trying not to. Couldn't help it though. I woke up this morning and went straight to that thought and back to thinking about it. I had to go get some coffee before work. The coffee would keep me up and keep me busy at other things so I didn't have to think about it. Because my mind wasn't thinking straight, my coffee spilled in my car and on me on the way to work. What a way to start a morning right?!?
         I'll admit too that I thought about my family,while laying in bed, last night too. It is sad that you have to think about that but with today's world you do. I have such a diverse family that it is something to be thought of. I love everyone in my family and if something happened to them, I would be hunting that person or people down too. Don't think I don't want to do the same thing to the person in the situation that I heard of now. You don't come near anyone that I know.
         But being like Christ, I know I can't do that. I can't really have feelings like that either. At the same time, though, we are all human and you would be lying if you said you haven't thought thoughts like that before. It is in our nature to response that way but we need to be trained in responding like Christ would. That would be really hard for me. I will tell you that now.
         You really don't know what your worst nightmare is until you see or hear it has happened to the people you care about. Another sign could be until you admit it out loud to the person that it happened to, no matter what they might think. I will say that I let this person know that I was concern for them. That is just in my nature. If you know me, you know that. I just have this need, too, that I need to hear or see that this person is alright.
         It brought me to humbleness again in a lot of ways. I will write about those ways in the next few entries I write. One way is that it taught me that everyone has a worst nightmare and it can happen too. We don't need to take life for granted at all. You need to live out our dream and leave something behind, whether it is our character, passion, or material things or all three. I know this person would have done that. This person is living out the dream and would have left great memories and things behind.

        Some things to think about are: 

"Why do we just sit around not doing anything, when we aren't promised tomorrow?"

"Why do we wait and take the next step in our lives if we aren't promised tomorrow?"

 "We have to be following God's plans for us, all the way, even if there are things we are uncertain of but feels like God is calling us to do. We don't know what will happen next."

I will say, too, that the older you get the more your worst nightmare might change because you understand how life works better and better and it also depends on the stage of life you are in. 

          

           Will you think about these things during your life?

A Prayer From the Book "Uninvited"

"I'm not who that guy says I am. I'm not who the girl says I am.
I'm not who social media likes and comments say I am.
I'm not who the grades, to-do lists, messes, and mess ups say I am.
I'm not who the scale says I am or the sam total of what My flaws say I am.
I'm going to stop flirting with the unstable things of this world so I can fall completely in love with 
You. I am loved. I am held. I am Yours. I am forever Yours."-Amen 



        That is the prayer from the book "Uninvited" word for word. Now I am going to add some more things to that prayer that personal helps me or that I need help with.


"I'm not who my career says I am. I'm not who my bank account says I am.
I'm not who the children say I am. I'm not who my living situation says I am.
I'm not who my martial status says I am. I'm going to stop thinking of and acting like the things of this world. I'm Loved and Cared for by the Great One, The Almighty God Himself. 
I am Strong.  I am Your Child.  I am Your Princess. Yours til the end of time and on.-Amen

Written and Added on by: Tiffney Wilson
                           
On: January 25th, 2017



          I know this is a short entry but this is all I want it to be about because those two prayers can say a lot for themselves. Just to let people know there might be a lot more quotes and entries from this book because it is a really great one and the prefect one that I need right now in my life.

My Main Verses for 2017

"Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance."- Jude 1:2


"Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace."-Proverbs 3:17


"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"-2 Corinthians 9:15



"A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."-John 10:10

          I know this entry is a little late to but at least it is being written in the 1st month of the year. I decided that I needed to do some entries with verses in them. It is good for me and for others too or that is what I hope. I kind of had a slide back too after I wrote these verses. It has not be a fully abundant life so far. It has been hard but I still what these verses to be the verses of my life this year. They all have one thing in common. 

           That one thing is: GOD WANTS US TO HAVE A LIFE THAT IS FULFILLED! God has given us promises that we can look to and know that we will get. These 4 verses are only some of the promises that God has given us. The main promise that I get from all of these verses is: Peace because I need that in this moment of my life. Everything is so confusing and messy right now, I don't know what to do with my life but these verses remind me that I can have peace because God has control. 

           The other promises that God has given us through these verses are: an indescribable gift, real and enteral life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of, Mercy, Love, and pleasant ways and paths. These verses kind of makes you look forwards to the life you can have with God. Who wouldn't want a life of all of those? Yet, we don't have to wait for that life in Heaven when we could have it right here on earth. We only need to trust God and follow Him. We need to stop worrying all the time and just step out in faith. 

           While I am writing this, I am carefully thinking about it in my life. There are so many things I want to do but yet I am scared to do them. I think I am not good enough or that I won't have enough money or that it won't fit into the times that I want it to fit into. That is our problems right there. We are so in control or want to be that sometimes it can hold us back and we know that but we still won't let go. Then it gets me thinking: "Is life really something to be wasted by just sitting here and doing nothing or waiting on something or should we go for it when we have the chance to go for it?"

           Right now I am really struggling with wanting to travel on mission trips again and wanting to be a single foster parent. I know I can't do both at the same time but I am trying to see in what order does God want me to do them so I can have a fulfilled and peaceful life for Him, not for me. I would also love to throw marriage and my own family in there too but I honestly think that is becoming more of it will happen if it does, if not then I am fine with it. 

           I know I have big dreams and a great life ahead of me because of how God made me but now it is just about how do I put (tread) it all together so everything will work out. Letting God have complete control over it is something that I am still working on too. 

Learning to Love in the Shelter

         This is another entry that I've had in my draft folder for awhile. Something happened yesterday at work that gave me an idea to write this entry. I do miss the shelter and the type of children that go there. I even miss my children that I had when I was there. I will have a feeling for those type of children everywhere I go now and with every job I work.
           I learned two important things that you need while dealing with all kinds of children. Those two things are: Love and patience. No other place can show you what those two words mean better then a children's shelter. If I was truly honest with myself, before the shelter I was in the field because I felt it was easy for me since I grew up around it. After the shelter
I stayed in the field because I wanted to make a difference in a child's life anywhere I could.
           I've had probably more encounters at my now job then I've had since then. I've had two jobs since then and I have just felt more compassion for the children with disabilities or that have problems in their family more. I almost had to fight for my passion at my last job. Never will forget that moment as long as I live. Now here is the real reason why I decided to write this entry now.
            I have a new nickname that my co-workers gave me and I will explain why because it could be mean. It really is a nice thing towards me or that is how I take it at least. It can only be used at this job though. My new nickname is: "The Korenan Whisper" and here is the reason why.
           We have this little international boy that is 5 years old and he is set in his routine. If his mom is not there by a certain time or his friends leave before him, he starts to cry. Yesterday he cried for the last hour of the day. We all took turns trying to calm him down. I spent a half a hour with him while he was crying. Nothing could get him to stop. When the other teachers would try to get him to stop or get busy and it would work for a few seconds. Then if he saw me, he would stop doing the activity and come my way.
            It is like I have a connection with international children and I am not ashamed of that. I am interested in why though. What do I have that others don't. Could it be that love in all languages, that patience, and that comfort? When people praise me or ask me how I do it, I say, "When you work at a children's shelter, you can pretty much handle anything." I know, though, and through that time that it is all God and I give Him credit for it at the end of the day.

           All this to say that you never know how God will use you in a certain place or with a certain person. Everyone and every situation comes into our lives for a reason. It might just take a few years past the moment to realize how God grew through that time. Because of all this happening to me, I have some fun stories to write about and remember them for life. That is why I also keep a blog because it is moments like these that I want to remember plus I can look back and see the life that I have lived and remember all the blessings God has given me. 

Praying for a Ministry or a Person

        I have had this title in my drafts for almost three months because I wanted to write about it for that long but other things have came up. I finally decided that I was going to right about it now. It make a difference and feels different when you pray just for one or the other. I will admit I have prayed for a certain ministry for about 4 years, not lying, which I felt that has helped some. This past year, though, God has directed me to pray for the leader as a person along with the team when I can.
           Because of that change, it has grown my prayer life and my relationship life in ways I didn't think of. It really showed me that when you pray for a certain person, you see more of who they really are. I really look more into the person that I am praying for to see what they need. I listen closer to what they have to say. I watched to see if they have changed and if prayers have been answered.
           I know that might sound a little creepy but I am the deep kind of person and if I know them personally I usually care enough about them to do that. Usually I ask them first but if I know they won't answer, it is then that I am aware of them and their doings. I like to be intentional about everything especially when it comes to my family and friends. That is what I am doing here. I am being more intentional about the person in charge of the ministry more then the ministry itself and that goes for every ministry or job. That goes for everything in life. We have to be intentional with how we view things all the time, right? I will put what the word "intentional" means on here since I did that for the word "ministry". Intentional means "done with intention or on purpose". 

         Sometimes we have to think to pray for a certain person. We have to make it a commitment to pray for them and only them. Where if you pray for the bigger thing like a ministry it is easy to remember that. Now when you pray for something bigger then them like a ministry, your focus is on the ministry itself or at least it was for me. Ministry is: "the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion". I was watching the ministry and praying for what it needed as a ministry. 

       Now don't get me wrong, both are good prayers but it needs to be even out at least. That is why I, sometimes, pray for the whole team. If they are having something big like an outing they are doing together or sponsors they are trying to get, it is then I pray for the ministry. You are praying for the service and functions of the activity as a whole, not just the person. 

          I also look at it this way. You are never sure what will happen in the future. That is why I pray more for the people then the ministry. People can learn lessons and live on (use what they learned during that season of life) even after the material things are over. For lack of better words in that sentence. You will also become more intentional with other things in life. I mean praying for a person is small compare to other things in life. If you are intentional with that and can see the changes, then it makes you wonder if you were intentional with other things how would they turn out. 

         I know this might sound somewhat confusing because I am honestly trying to make it a little long but I hope I get the point across clearly. The point is: "It is always better to pray for people, then it is the ministry" if you are only going to pick one or want to pick one. I will say, though, there are times that I start out praying for the person and then I go right into the ministry because sometimes the person, since they are the leader of the ministry, will lead me into praying for everything as a whole. That is funny when it happens too. I just start to think about all that the person is doing and then the team are doing that same thing so I pray for them too. 

         I will also say it works for the ministries like Compassion International and World Vision and your church, friends going in a group on a mission trip and so on too. You can pray for a certain person whether it is your child, your friend or your pastor or someone or some people in the church. You know them personally so you know how to pray for them but at the same time you need to pray for the ministry/group every once in awhile too.