It’s been several weeks of back-to-back big issues. If hard things come in threes, I’ve been over limit.
First, we learned that while my daughter was on a mission trip in Brazil, Hurricane Michael wiped out her belongings in storage. On the heels of that, we had a health scare that sent us scurrying for tests and searching for answers. A different report came in raising concerns for one child at the same time I was walking another through heavy decisions. And that Saturday, as I was prepping to meet some friends, a pipe burst spewing water across the utility room into the kitchen before we could get the water turned off.
I stayed steady through the first couple of issues, handling each one as it came. But when they piled on, I began to buckle under their collective weight.
I’ve been a single mom for seven years, and I’ve grown more accustom to juggling all the things, to days with no margin and to making countless decisions on my own. When I stop to think about all of it, I realize again what an enormous task single parenting is. But who has time to stop and think about it?
And while I’ve learned these last seven years to take my need to God, the sheer weight of all these big issues together taxed every bit of my emotional reserves and maxed out my mental space. A girl can only hold so much before something gives.
And what gave out was my apparently my focus. I began to get scatterbrained. It wasn’t so bad when I left a roast and vegetables on the counter overnight.
But two days later, I lost some very important papers. This type-B girl had been so organized! I sorted them, used them for online forms and then – poof. I couldn’t for the life of me remember what I did with them next.
I started praying like nobody’s business.
I scoured my house. For the next two days, I cleaned out drawers, my walk-in closet and stacks of mail. I sorted through our trash bags and the recycling bin. My kids searched the car, under pillows, behind furniture.
I prayed constantly God would help me find them. I brooded. I stewed. I went to bed begging God to help and woke up scrutinizing my memory for a clue.
Finally, I went onto Instagram and asked you to pray. I got messages from so many of you that you understood losing something precious and I know you prayed.
Not because I found the papers – I haven’t.
But I caught myself humming that night.
I’d asked for prayer and expected my papers to appear — not peace.
But that evening, my worry lifted. My heart calmed. And as anxiety gave way to peace, I gave myself grace for losing the papers.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7
Does God really answer prayer? we ask ourselves.
I got two stark reminders last week.
Sometimes God answers prayer not in giving us what we want but giving us what we need.
My important papers have never turned up. I fully expected to have a huge praise party for God answering that prayer.
But weighed down, beating myself up and preoccupied by all the hard, what I really needed was peace.
God’s peace was the surprise answer to prayer.
My papers weren’t the only thing lost that week.
Hurricane Michael had destroyed the storage facility with Rachel’s belongings. When she called to tell me, she said was okay with losing her stuff except for one thing: her dad’s surfboard.
That surfboard was the one thing of his she wanted after he died. Her dad had taught her to surf and passed on his love of the ocean and waves. She’d surfed with it on Father’s Day and moved it with her as she moved. It was irreplaceable.
I started prayed she’d find the surfboard and several friends were praying. Despite reports of intense destruction coming in, I hoped we’d have a huge praise party for God answering that prayer.
And when the storage facility sent a picture — there tucked among piles of things strewn about when winds ripped off roof and walls was her dad’s MTB surfboard.
That alone was reason for a huge praise party! But God had more.
God’s abundance was the surprise answer to prayer.
Because sifting through the piles, Rachel also found the pearl necklace her grandmother had given her, soiled but in one piece.
Sometimes God answers prayer not only in giving what we want, but giving more than we asked.
Oh how we want to expect an outcome. To demand that if we’re doing right, we deserve it. But God is not a genie in a lamp, here to make happen what we want when we pray for it.
But we can expect God’s best. And his BEST may surprise us.
God’s best may be grace that sustains in unchanged circumstances.
God’s best may be joy that wows in painful circumstances.
God’s best may be peace that calms in unpleasant circumstances.
God’s best may be abundance that amazes in disastrous circumstances.
Our God answers prayer. And we can be certain that His answer is our best.
Amen! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, April!
Thank you for this email and the more details, they are very inspiring, interesting, things that all of us precious souls can identify with, and helpful, I’m glad that you and your older children and the Eternal Soul of your late husband have some peace and closure.
I was watching the News today and I could not help crying because there were so many sad things happening and I was praying about this, to the Holy Trinity and invoking different Saints, including St Jude and St Paul and St Thomas of Canterbury and dear Mary and Josef, earthly parents of dear Jesus Christ and I knew they were helping and I will pray again about many things happening in this World and talk to Friends about these issues.
Thank you again for your emails and your love, you are a Good Soul, Lisa Appelo.
I tried to Skype with my youngest son Alex, 11 years old, who have complex special needs and is in residential care, and the place where he is at have not yet met up with the Skype link, though they invited my onto it, and I miss Alex so much, he is in another part of England, in the Peake District, we are in Twydall Green, in Medway, Kent, and I am missing Alex so much. One of my older children Stefan, 21, and myself were hoping to have much more time with Alex and we are sad because this is lost to all 3 of us. My husband, Ian and myself have an older son, Mark – who sadly and truly, have gone far from the Truth Religion of Christianity, as has Stefan, but they are all very dear and precious Souls and I am Hoping with God’s Help, they will get There!
Wishing you and your Loved Ones Well always. Gabrielle
That must hurt so deeply, Gabrielle. God hears our prayers and walks with us in our pain. And God’s presence is such a balm to a broken heart. Praying that for you now.
Oh, Lisa,
My heart goes out to you, my friend! I wish I was closer and could bring homemade chicken soup and fresh apple cake! 🙂
I wouldn’t turn it down! Thank you, Jennifer, I so appreciate your friendship!
I think zbout you and pray fir you
Thank you, Belinda!
Thank you Lisa for this post. God’s best is ALWAYS exactly what we need! Thank you for the reminder of what God’s best may be. If there was one thing that I learned through the journey of my husband’s battle with cancer….to REMEMBER God’s promises and that He is always with us…no matter what we walk through in this life. The storms of life bring blessings…don’t miss them!
So true, Jamie! Your last part is my constant plea — do not let me miss you Lord.
I had this experience TODAY when walking through Disney Springs with Mason (it was just me and him) he started having a seizure. I got him safely to the ground when out of the the blue 3 people walked up and said, “we are paramedics, how can we help?”. Two of them were a coup7, the third was just another passerby. They sat with us through the seizure, got mason lifted into a wheelchair, the couple was from Canada and just “happened” to have a some free time to be at a Disney Springs today. They say with us in guest relations until mason was awake enough to have Disney drive us back to our resort. Even though my husband and daisy were not here today with me, I was reminded that my Heavenly Father is ALWAYS with me. I’ve made some new Canadian friends! As they sat with with me waiting on mason to wake up, we chatted and laughed. Had they not been there I probably would have broke down in tears. God sent people to give me some much needed and sweet conversation. I also was able to speak for His goodness even when the lady said, “the universe always puts us where me need to be”. Even when the prayers aren’t answered how we want-He is so much bigger and so is His plan!
Melissa, I read this on my phone the day you posted but replied on your facebook post. Thank you for sharing this! God always, always, always has what we need as we need it and this shows it so well! Praying right now for Mason and for healing.
I always love reading your words. And, I’m a good shoulder to lean on when your in need.
Love you bunches!
Thank you, Christy!
love this, love y’all. continued prayers from the ne-
Thank you, Jodi!
Thank you for sharing your heart.
Got to see once again that God is always good, even when circumstances aren’t comfortable. Blessings to you!
Yes to God’s best. Sometimes so different than what you had in mind. Friend, as I read through some of your messages on each one of those circumstances, I hadn’t thought about the collective weight of ALL OF IT at once. So hard. I am sorry. I continue to give thanks for you and pray for you. Grace and peace.
Just one more witness of God’s sustaining grace…bringing us through and providing what I needed as we walked through. Thank you, Betsy, always for your prayers!
Lisa,
Your devotional brought me to tears today. I just felt my heart break thinking about you with the burst pipe, and your papers. Single mom.
I can relate on so many levels. I had two water crises that went thru from the second floor to the kitchen.
So glad to hear your daughter had a good ending with surfboard.
You reminded me that God does answer in His way and His timing. So tough to be patient and wait on the Lord
Thank you again …. you are a blessing to us all.
It is hard to wait…I’m doing that right now on something but I know with everything in me that God’s ways are right and best. Oh I trust Him and if His answer is a yes, then His timing for will be unquestionable when it happens. Man, I’m reaffirming that for myself today even as I write it!
One more gem of insight at a much needed time in not only my life but I’m guessing in a lot of lives. You are an inspiration and a Godly woman. Once again thank you so much for opening your heart and your life to all of us. Many blessings to you and your family! (I think I already receive your 100 days with Christ Bible study and journal – if not please sign me up!)
What sweet encouragement Annette! I’ll send you the link to the 100 Days with Christ Bible study and journal — it’s a GREAT study to start in January and to prepare for Easter.
Thank You, Father, for protecting the surf board and pearls. You are good. Thank you as well for Lisa’s peace concerning the disappearing papers. Lord, uncover them. Bring those papers to the surface and Lisa’s hands. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Love reading the good news here, Lisa, for what has been a crazy string of days. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for that prayer. He is good.
Lisa, this heartfelt blog touches me so much and I am blessed by being reminded again of the truths in it.
Love you,
Janice
I’m sure you’ve seen this in spades….God’s personal answers that are His best.
Love this!! So true!!