Monday, April 01, 2013

DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER--by Angela Breidenbach



Does God Answer Prayer? Calling God—



I didn’t know if God was answering my prayers. My question had less to do with a certain prayer and more with questioning my faith in God’s ability to answer prayers. I didn’t think my prayers mattered. Like Mara Keegan in my new release, A Healing Heart, I was sure God played favorites or ignored me. I Have you ever felt like that?



I decided to conduct an experiment. I'd call God out. I’d keep track of my prayers and then see if God answered them. I thought he just let my prayers go to voice-mail. I bought a journal with a lot of blank pages. I had a lot of prayers he didn’t seem to be answering. Each morning I’d pray and then write the prayers into the journal. The prayers are on the front of the page and the answers on the back. Some of the answers came right away. Okay, God, you might care a little. But some—I wondered if they’d ever be answered; if he really cared or if God tossed me a bone now and then. Because I could write answers down, my faith built a little bit at a time on the foundation of each prayer. God built my confidence each day.





Some of the prayers took a lot longer. One day I looked back through pages and pages of prayers. I wanted to say God answered ALL my prayers. But I couldn’t. I did, however, get a big surprise. As I read the entries, years of entries, I started filling in the back pages of prayers I’d forgotten existed. But God hadn’t. I filled in answers to prayers from three years, five years, nine and ten years in the past! It took me a couple of hours. Hours I hadn’t planned to spend. Hours I spent praising and thanking God for being so faithful when I doubted him.



Some of my prayers are still waiting to be answered. The difference in my faith is stunning when I see a blank behind a written request. I have history with God; he’s built confidence in me. Now I know he hasn’t forgotten and I can trust God still has me in his heart.



I’ve been keeping this journal for over ten years now. I suppose you could say it's how I call God. The result deepened my faith more than anything I could imagine. The byproduct of writing all those prayers? God answered the biggest prayer of all—Do you care about me? I finally believe he really does.




Angela Breidenbach, author of A Healing Heart
Angela Breidenbach is a speaker, coach, and author of A Healing Heart, April 2013 from Abingdon Press in the Quilts of Love series. She is certified in mentor/peer counseling as a CTA life coach, as a Stephen Minister, and a weight loss/nutrition coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister (worship/prayer leader) for her congregation in Missoula, MT

Twitter: @AngBreidenbach





A Healing Heart by Angela Breidenbach
About A Healing Heart: What would you do if the one man who can help is the one man you can’t trust? A heart attack has stopped Mara Keegan in her tracks, leaving her daughter’s unfinished photo memory quilt hanging by a thread. Little does Mara know, this quilt—and the memories it bolsters—are the key to her rehabilitation. But Mara’s heart needs to be healed in more ways than one. And Joel Ryan is fraying her last nerve. With her daughter’s graduation fast approaching, even Mara starts to wonder if she—and her faith—can mend in time. Will Joel’s photo find a place on the quilt… and in Mara’s heart?



Endorsements:

“A Healing Heart weaves tears, cheers, laughter and delightful moments to keep you saying, ‘this is my story, my own healing and my own victory.’”—Janet Perez Eckles, author of #1 best-selling Simply Salsa



“As beautifully woven as a keepsake quilt, A Healing Heart wraps itself around you, offering a cozy, heart-tugging story. This is definitely my kind of tale—one that pulls you in from the first page and keeps your emotions engaged throughout. Highly recommended.”—Janice Thompson, author of Queen of the Waves



“A Healing Heart is an emotional story of learning to let go of the past and embracing the future. Angie Breidenbach deftly creates lifelike teenagers, a frazzled mother, and a caring hero you will love. This charming book tugs at your heart and encourages you to reevaluate what’s important in your life.” 

—Vickie McDonough, author of 25 books and novellas, including End of the Trail

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