YELLOW! Part TWO of "Hear my prayer"

I just updated my blog's template! It's YELLOW!!! :) I am obsessed with that color. ;) Anyway... I promised I would provide a solution to the "to be continued..." on the previous post "Hear my prayer." I probably shouldn't have said that... because I kind of forget. But, I will be brief and explain what God taught me. He never ceases to discipline His children!

The following is a repeat of what I had just mentioned:

"Friday I was the modern-teenage-girl Job. I was officially SICK. God told me to take a step back from my busy life (again... see "Tragedy of the Busy Life" and "Voiceless") and TRUST HIM. I wanted to hold on... thinking I had it under control. I told myself I was doing the "Christian" thing by praying and "trusting" God. But was I really? Only when you've completely surrendered can you actually fully, without holding back, trust God with all your heart, mind, and soul. I may have felt like Job, but God worked His peace and miracles like He always does. ;) I just had no idea what I was getting myself into... (to be continued...) "

It's funny how God uses irony as humor... This was my facebook status on May 27th:

The true test of faith is to keep trusting God even when your life is on the edge of collapsing into obliteration. Bring it on God, cause' you're looking at the modern-day Job. Nothing can tear apart this relationship!

Notice how I said, "Bring it on God." NEVER say this unless you are fully prepared to get it. God keeps His promises and answers prayers. Yep. Next thing you know...

I had MONO. For those of you who don't know my long history of "diseases" this was just another one to check off the list! :P I have now experienced bronchitis, pneumonia, losing my voice completely, mono, strep, the chicken pox, the flu, and probably a couple dozen more "common colds" that seem to always find me. WHY do I have these problems? Because I don't listen to God. :( I'm too busy living my life the way I want to and think others expect of me. Like the acronym my friend shared with me, BUSY is just another word for BEING UNDER SATAN'S YOKE!

Being Under Satan's Yoke

This is SO true! How are we supposed to be followers of Christ and expect God's peace to come into our lives when we tell Him, "Sorry, I'm too busy to listen to you!" It's basically a slap in the face to God. You're telling Him that your schedule is more important than prayer time and Bible time or church. Lately, I've learned a lot about prayer! It seems like a pointless waste of time, right? Why talk to God when He already knows your problems and what to say? Well, a poem I read in the book by Elizabeth George "A Young Woman's Call to Prayer" explained everything crystal clear (and that book! It helped immensely - I highly recommend it!).

"The Difference Prayer Makes"

I got up early one morning
And rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn't take time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,
And heavier came each task;
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.
He answered: "You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty -
But the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me,
He said, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence,
I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided:
"My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning
And paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.

(author unknown)

God knew exactly what He was doing when He got me sick with Mono. This lasted for about a whole week (and I'm still tired from it!). I slept 20 hours daily for 3 days in a row. I was so sick of sleeping that I specifically wanted to go on strike. This was my facebook status:

Mono... :P I never thought there would be a day when I said, "I AM SICK AND TIRED OF SLEEPING!!!" I seriously just want to boycott my body's need for sleep. When can I actually do my homework?!?

I seriously wanted to do homework I was so sick of sleeping! Anyway, God used this opportunity to get me to RELAX (sort of... at least for a few days) and read the book my friend let me borrow on prayer (by Elizabeth George). I am soooooo glad I did!


Here are some excerpts from my prayer journal on May 30th, when I was at home and sick with Mono (Not to mention I was missing so many fun graduation parties!! :( I figure it's part of God's punishment.... but at the end of the day, I was GLAD He did!)

Just because I'm sick with Mono doesn't mean I have to neglect my prayer life. I'm sorry. Now I see why I'm sick! Lord, you've just been waiting for me to breathe and relax so I can pray and read and include you as a part of my EVERYDAY - whether I'm sick or not... I don't even deserve to talk to you... I'm just frustrated - physically, emotionally, and spiritually... Lord I'm just a mess! Give me wisdom so I can do better at this challenging game called life. You tell me not to worry over 300 times in your Word, yet I end up worrying about worry. Talk about the knot this child has gotten herself into. Lord, school is almost over, yet I've procrastinated to the extent of having 15-20 hours of homework, which I can't even do because I'm sick. HELP! I need you. Isn't the first step realizing you need help? Well I need all the help you can give me Lord! Let me come to you in everything with prayer and petition, so that you can guard my heart and mind in you Jesus - bring me peace that transcends all understanding. Give my family the love they've been so desperately searching for. Heal my sickly body. Eliminate my stress. And let your will be done. I love you Lord. Even when I'm sick I will praise your name! Because I know I would be nothing without you. You are mighty and holy Father. Thank-you.
~Love, Bubbly <3

As you can see, God was definitely working in my heart that day, and the following days! I didn't have enough energy to do homework (not to mention my mind was still a little "out of it"...) and God gave me the desire to read. What else could I do? Again, I was trying to "boycott" sleeping! :P And guess what comes next? God worked it all out, for His glory and for my comfort, according to His plan. First, He needed to teach me another lesson. I might regret saying this, but it's late and I need to pack for my Nassau, Bahamas mission trip on Saturday. Goodnight! :) To be continued...

-YELLOW flower picture found on Google. Second yellow flower picture also from Google.