He Answered

Day 313 of Photo Inspirations -- He Answered
Of course these Baby Shower cookies, inscripted with "He Answered" would be my photo inspiration for today.  "He answered" doesn't mean the wife called and her husband answered.  It means they called on God and He answered.

The 2nd photo is of two precious women in my Life Group, Paula Hieronymus Vaughn​ and Shelly Been Summers​, best friends, and related by the fact that Paula's son, is married to Shelly's daughter. There is nothing like praying mamas and these two mamas, along with our Life Group, have been praying AND believing for their kids to conceive for quite some time.   We take our prayer requests/petitions very seriously in this group.

We come together weekly and are thrilled to hear praises of "Look what God has done", but we are also thrilled to provide a safe place to share each other's needs, prayer requests and what's on each other's hearts -- to pray and believe with each other for those things that are beyond human intervention.....they need divine intervention.

This 2nd photo, was taken at our Life Group meeting  when these two found out their kids were indeed expecting.  They came, with that yummy cake with pink & blue diaper pins on it, to surprise us and to celebrate their good news.  We kept it quiet (oh how we wanted to shout to the world on Facebook that "He Answered" then, but we were sworn to secrecy until the "All Systems Go" signal). After four years of trying to conceive, their kids were still cautious about broadcasting their exciting news to the world.

A precious little girl will make her debut in January and, yesterday, I was thrilled to help host the celebration shower at my Hyde Park clubhouse. I was so inspired by these cookies to say to you...."HE ANSWERS" for you, too!  God is no respector of persons so why not take this little blog as all you need to help you believe for your miracle....whether it's a baby, a new job, a financial blessing, a healing, or a breakthrough of any kind.

Yes, there were snags along the way and disappointment after disappointment, but these two women, and a lot of others who joined the ranks of praying for them, are seeing the rewards of those prayers today.  It doesn't matter whether you've been believing for 10 minutes, 10 months or 10 years, our God's timeline is right on time.  He sees the beginning, the middle, and the ending.  He sees and knows the seed planting.....time.....then harvest.  Seed time and harvest.

I spoke to Paula after the shower today, and I reminded her that their victory is our victory, too. Today's declaration "He Answered" is way beyond their family.  It is for you AND me.  I take hold of it.  I know it's true, because "He Answered" for me time and time again.  Don't give up.

You're on the brink of your miracle, too!

Look What's on My BFF's Front Porch

 Day 189 of Photo Inspirations -- Look What's on My BFF's Front Porch!
So my BFFs, Charles & Sheila Michie​  and us (my husband and I) go way back.  We've celebrated the blessings of God for years, in so many ways. We've travelled together, celebrated many momentous occasions together, ministered together in conferences and seminars and have been together in the start of a new business.  

A few days ago, it was Sheila's birthday and I'm sure she would tell us that the VIP at her bd party was her new grandson, Benjamin Liam.  I loved it when I drove up to their house and saw that baby stroller on their front porch -- the epic symbol of "a baby is near....and he's HERE!"

I was thrilled to host the Grand-Baby Shower for their precious first grandchild at the clubhouse where I live.  They asked me to say a few words and I shared how this couple and my husband and I had lots of wonderful times together. Most significantly, was the time during my sweet husband's illness when they supported us on such a regular basis -- bringing communion to us, praying with us, bringing meals to us and going on prayer of faith walks around hospitals with us.  We've had a lot of things in common, but one missing was a grandchild. My oldest grandson is 23 now, so being able to celebrate this special season of their lives is so sweet.

Now, they know the profound love that a grandparent has for a little one.   They can glow with pride as they watch their son so endeared to his new son. Now, they understand what all those silly grandparents were talking about when they incessantly talked about their grandkids and showed off the latest photo of them.  In fact, as

I'm typing this post, Sheila just sent me this photo of little Benji all tuckered out from all the excitement.  Sheila is well on her way to being one of us -- one of those doting, adoring grandmothers.   I love it.

As I continued to share, I talked about friendship and what this precious couple has meant to me. "People come and go in our lives: some will be friends for a reason; some will be friends for a season, but Mick & Sheila are my friends for a lifetime.   Yes, they are LIFERS.   What a great joy it is for me to celebrate little Benji and all of his accomplishments for so many years to come.....AND, he's already on track to be the subject of many conversations.  In fact, He's already turning over.  The firsts of many firsts. And, best of all for Sheila and I -- now when she asks how my grandkids are doing,  I can reciprocate by asking, "And how is yours?"   Oh the blessings of living smack dab in the middle of God's "goodness and mercy that follows us all the days of our lives"!