From the rearview mirror, I saw my then-9-year-old praying again. After mouthing “Amen,” she picked up my phone and dialed her best friend’s number. After the initial greeting, she lit up:

“OK, so I received my letter from the camp and have not opened it yet. Go get yours. As we decided, let’s open them together.”

“Please let me be in the same club, please let me be in the same club,” I heard my baby girl whisper.

She opened the letter and screamed: “Oh my goodness! I made it; I made it! I’m gonna cry!!”

I could hear the squealing on the other side of the line as her friend could not believe the news.

It’s no wonder they were surprised.

Thousands of kids register for this sought-after summer camp every year. After registration, campers are randomly assigned to one of four different clubs. Once placed in a club, children stay in the same house together and do most of the activities within the group. Naturally, our daughter wanted to stay in the same club as her best friend.

We received instructions not to request any particular club for our child, and we knew the likelihood of the girls staying in the same group was small. Therefore, for several weeks, the two girls agreed to pray that God would place them together. And so, he did.

After the conversation ended and my daughter returned my phone, I said:

“Well, it looks like you need to say a prayer of thanks, baby.”

She smiled: “I already have, Mom. What are the odds that we would be in the same club? God answered our prayers, no doubt!”

I knew this was an optimal opportunity to teach my child an important lesson on prayer:

“I believe God is showing you that there is no silly or small request that his children can ever make,” I told her. “As long as we obey and love Him, He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts. Nothing is too big or too small to ask.”

God delights in giving us the desires of our hearts. Nothing is too big or too small to ask. @AJC #faith #rechargewednesday #linkup
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My daughter’s faith experience reminded me of a passage of Scriptures I read recently: The odd story of the floating ax head. We find the account in the sixth chapter of 2 Kings.

The prophet Elisha had taken a group of Israel’s prophets to the Jordan River, where they started to build a place to meet. During the construction, one of the prophets accidentally plunged an ax into the water. The tool was borrowed and valuable; therefore, the prophet became distressed by the incident.

When Elisha realized his friend’s anguish, he was moved and performed a simple miracle to help him: He cut a stick, threw it in the water, and made the iron float so his friend could retrieve it.

We find the account oddly placed as a standalone story between two great miracles performed by the prophet Elisha: Naaman’s healing and Israel’s miraculous victory over the Arameans. As one reads the story, it may seem strange that God would place such as minor incident between a couple of outstanding accounts.

But I believe it is not without reason.

The ax story is strategically positioned between two exceptional miracles as a reminder that the God who does the extraordinary also cares about the tiniest details in his children’s lives.

The God who does the extraordinary also cares about the tiniest details in his children’s lives. #faith #rechargewednesday #linkup
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Indeed, the One who has the power to raise Jesus from the dead also cares about our seemingly insignificant desires or concerns.

This Easter may find you celebrating the magnitude of an empty tomb with grave concerns that plague your heart. But to some, there may be a small desire that remains unfulfilled or an issue that you think is too small to bring before Heaven’s throne.

Remember, God does not see our problems or desires that way. He cares for details as small as a young girl’s summer camp club assignment as He does for the serious issues we face and the valleys we must cross.

Like in Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed, as we trust God with our seemingly insignificant prayers, we grow the faith to believe Him for the power displayed in the empty tomb.

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LINKUP is open! My Easter post is a reminder that as we trust God with our seemingly insignificant prayers, we grow the faith to believe Him for the power displayed in the empty tomb. Join us?
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The post No Request Is Insignificant to God {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution & LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

“Fight your battles on your knees.”

I have been privileged to sit under Dr. Charles Stanley’s teaching at First Baptist Atlanta for the past 16 years. This quote is one of “30 Life Principles” that he wrote, all based on Scriptures and his life experiences as a Christian for over 70 years.

I was reminded of that principle this morning during my morning walk. Both my children have recently had some bad experiences with friends who have proven to be unfaithful.

As my teenage daughter shared some of her struggles with me, I thought about my own battles as a teenager. I remember feeling left out, less than, as some girls who I thought were my friends isolated me or betrayed my trust. I remembered the hurt, pain, and how much it affected my self-esteem.

As I started thinking about how I could help, how I should put on the Super Mom cape and do something to rescue and vindicate my child, I heard this tested and proven “Life Principle” ringing in my heart. While thinking about what I should do, God reminded me of the many battles he has fought for me when I did not lean on my own understanding, and, instead of taking matters into my own feeble hands, simply prayed.

I just finished studying the book of Joshua again. Although I have read Joshua’s last words to the Israelites several times before, they echoed in my heart in a fresh way this morning. Just before Joshua breathed his last, he assembled the people to remind them of the faithfulness and power of their God.

He reminded them that it wasn’t their weapons that won battles against much stronger people as they entered the Promise Land. It certainly wasn’t Israel who defeated Egypt, the greatest army of their time. It wasn’t by their own hard labor that manna fell from the heavens every morning for 40 years. It was because, even though they turned from God and rebelled time and again, he was always faithful to forgive, protect, provide and defend them, every time their leaders prayed.

As I reflected on what made Israel a great nation, and the many times God came to her rescue, I couldn’t help but smile. Because I have seen the same sovereign hand in my life, time and again. As a teenager, when I felt betrayed and lonely, it seems as if God would always send me a better friend. When I moved 6,000 miles away from home, leaving behind my country, my entire family and friends, I prayed and watched God’s faithful hands planting new, wonderful people in my life.

As I reflected on these and other times, when I watched God act on my behalf, even when all hope and material resources were gone, I realized that one thing indeed stood above all else: I have always fought the fiercest, yet most successful battles on my knees, in submission and humble prayer.

And so I decided to pack my Super Mom cape, and chose instead to spend the rest of my morning walk praying for my children. As I came back home, my heart was full of confidence on the lesson I would convey to them. Instead of coaching them on what to do or how to respond to their enemies, I chose to spend some time reminding them of our pastor’s tested and proven principle: Before you do anything, say anything, or choose any weapon and tactics to battle against those who wrong you, remember — fight your battles on your knees. For God will always be our defender and mighty warrior, so long as we choose to obey his word, and trust his mighty hand.

Before chosing a weapon to battle against your enemies, remember: you fight best on your knees. http://bit.ly/2abOUkK
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Patricia Holbrook is a Christian author, blogger and International speaker. Her Book Twelve Inches is on sale at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon and retailers worldwide. Visit her website www.soaringwithHim.com. Email pholbrook@soaringwithHim.com

The post Allow God to Handle Your Battles {Column for the Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.