Praying For Rain

Texas has been in an extreme drought and it has not rained a drop over the last 2 months. Our poor grass is dying and my flowers are incredibly puny! Along with the weather, the Lord has been taking us through a spiritual drought. You know what I'm talking about here.... those times when we pray and seek, pray and seek, pray and seek and God remains silent. No rain, no answers. And we have needed both desperately.
Philippians 4:6-7 says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Now I need to point out that my 3 oldest children have been praying continually for rain, all the while watching out the window to see if God has made the rain come. I have enjoyed watching their little faces as they enter into prayer, eyes scrunched closed, talking to Jesus.  My children have faith.  In fact I am challenged in my own faith by their faith. They ask and then wait expectantly for God to answer.

And in fact, God did answer their prayers. It started 2 days ago with a small sprinkle in our backyard. Yesterday, it rained on our drive home from the grocery store. This morning it has been gently raining and raining, rolling thunder as the backdrop to the prayer answered. And each time my kids have leapt for joy at what God has done! James 5:17 says "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. " Verse 16 says "The effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much."

I have had to seriously reevaluate the amount of faith that I have in God. Along with all this praying, I have been studying Genesis 22 - the story of God's test for Abraham. Wow did Abraham have some faith! My little faith is really wrapped in the fact that I don't see God as a big God. I don't view him like my children see Him - capable of anything and everything, anytime. In my head I know He is able to do anything, but my heart struggles to believe what my head knows. And I know that my precious Father is allowing me to grow in this area! Praise God that He is always at work on me, chiseling away those rough edges around my heart and mind, making me more like Jesus...