the answer to everything

"We should pray about it."

That's been the answer to all dilemmas around this house recently.

We first learned the "we should pray about it" mantra a year ago, when we took a summer vacation without praying about it beforehand, hit disaster in the form of a vomitting toddler, and realized that we might have noticed the Lord's hints that the trip was a bad idea if we'd been actually, you know, listening to Him. (And they were there to be seen, when we looked back at it.)

(I must interrupt to say, though, that there was one extraordinarily good part of our trip, and that was the chance to see friends who lived on the route to our destination. And my definitive vision of hospitality is now the picture of my friend, Cyndi, who, when we pulled up with said vomitting toddler, met us in her driveway with paper towels. That's it. Cyndi in the driveway with paper towels = the epitome of hospitality. (And since the paper towels were followed up with laundering, feeding, housing, entertainment and lots of good time together, I don't think I'm wrong in this. Hi, Cyn!))

Anyway, ever since then, Adam and I have reminded each other, "we should pray about this" whenever we come up against a decision, or find ourselves fomenting any new scheme. (Can you foment a scheme? You can foment a rebellion, right?)

There's one particular decision we're looking at right now that feels particularly troubling to me. But, eventually, one of us (I think it wasn't me) pointed out, "we sould pray about this." And I found myself, a few days after we had started praying about it together, talking to the Lord about it on my own, during my morning prayer time. And I said something like this: "Father, I'm still apprehensive about this, and I don't know quite what to do yet, but I have to tell You, ever since talking to You about it, I've felt better about it. Because I know it's in Your hands, and that makes me feel safe."

So, yes. There are oh-so-very-many things that I don't know. And almost more numerous than the things I don't know are the things that scare me. But that's okay. I'm ignorant and small, so that's to be expected. But my Father is wise and big and good. And talking to Him is never a bad idea.

So, whatever it is, pray about it. And then listen for His answer and His comfort.

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell