The Power of Prayer and Doing The “Right” Thing

The power of prayer and doing the "right" thing. Two nights ago, I posted a song called "Daughters" by John Mayer on my Facebook page. Daughters is one of my favorites of his because the lyrics and the message he brings carry deep meaning for my own feelings about my daughter. But there was another reason. Shortly after I arrived in San Diego in late March of this year, I learned that John would be playing live at the Cricket Amphitheater in San Diego in August, so I quickly bought 4 tickets to go see him. At the time I bought them, I had NO idea what was about to happen several months later. In late June, my daughter told me she was planning on moving to Virginia to attend her last year of high school there and to live with her half-sister. She was unhappy in Tribune in the environment she was living in with her mother and unhappy with me since I hadn't gotten myself completely settled in California. After all, she wanted to come here and live with me nearly the instant I arrived! After considering this decision of hers and my concern for not only her well-being, but also of my son who seemed to be having personal problems back home in Kansas, I decided to return to Tribune in early August to visit with them personally. By this time though, money was becoming tight since I wasn't working full-time after completing the paralegal program at UCSD, which was the primary purpose why I came here. Consequently, in order to offset the cost of plane fare, I decided to sell the tickets I had bought so I could see my children. Finally, two nights ago on August 19, 2010, just 6 days prior to the concert, I got an offer to sell them. Even though I had to let them go below cost, I went ahead and did so because, as I mentioned in my Facebook post about the song Daughters, it was the "right" thing to do.

Now to the topic at hand. One of the things I've been doing lately with respect to my life and, especially when it comes to my children, is praying directly to God more. Praying for specific things such as their safety and their well-being, physically, mentally, and emotionally. And praying for signs from Him on what to do, especially ones that are "right." Not only did I ask God for these signs for myself, but also for my children. Then, on August 18th, I sent my daughter this text message: "Morning. Is today the big day? Heading east? If so, I sincerely pray you will be safe and most of all, you WILL succeed. I love you." At 5:48 a.m. the next day on August 19th, the SAME day when I would later learn I got the Mayer tickets sold, I got this reply from her: "Made it to Virginia this morning! Love you."

The power of God and the power of prayer WORKS. I'm convinced of it now. But this story gets better and even MORE inspiring. After I posted the Daughters song and responding to a facebook friend of mine (Who, by the way, just so "happened" to stop by while I was in Tribune shortly before I left to return to San Diego. She wanted to talk about my kids AND offered to say a prayer for their safety at that very moment) that it was the "right" thing to sell the tickets; I posted a couple more songs and later went to sleep around midnight. At 3 a.m. I bolted upright from a dream. An incredible dream that is still sending chills throughout my body. In the dream, I was back in Kansas some time long ago and my Dad was in it. I'm not sure of all the details but I recall that he was suing somebody for a very small amount of money they owed him. I knew these people he was suing and knew they were poor so I asked him if he wanted to just "let it go." He said "yes, it's the "right" thing to do."

At that very moment in the dream, I was suddenly back in the present, back with my thoughts about doing the "right" thing by selling the Mayer tickets so I could use the money on my children's behalf. So I asked Dad, "are you sure?" And I kept pressing him on the issue and asked again and again. Finally, he looked at me as if to say, "why do you ask?" So I said, "No Dad, just making sure that's what you wanted to do is all." That's when I woke up. I went downstairs where I'm living with my sister, stepped outside, sat down on a bench and suddenly, "IT" happened. When I say "IT", I mean the presence of the Holy Spirit touching and entering my soul and mind. I can think of only two times this has happened in such a REAL fashion in the past 3 years and this was His message: "Doing the "right" thing is the legacy you've imprinted in your children's mind. You've told them this time and time again. You've spoken of it numerous times on your Facebook page. Now you've seen it in your dream. Your father passed this legacy to you and now you're doing it for your children."

But there's STILL more to this story. The Spirit I felt went on to say this: "What you have done for your children is only part of your journey. Doing the "right" thing extends to all of your fellow man. You need to spread this message that all the pain, the anger, the resentments, the fears, all of the troubles of this world can be washed away if people will simply do one thing. Follow their heart and do the "right" thing.

The final message He sent me was this: "Help your son. Get him out if you have to. He's crying out for help now that his sister has gone. Bring him here with you if that's what it takes and don't worry, I will guide you and provide a way for this to happen."

I don't know about you but I don't think something like what has "happened" here was by chance, blind luck, or of my own free will, and should not be taken lightly. Our existence on this planet is for a short period of time and we have little control over our destiny. Actually, when you think about it, do we really have any control at all? I've seen the power of prayer and the power of God first-hand several times now and I've seen Him work in the lives of others. The next time you pray, think of not only what you say, but how you say it. If you've given your heart and soul, trust me, you will be surprised at what happens next. And when that moment comes, don't look back, don't question the "sign", don't question whether your own mind has just "dreamed" it up. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake!

"Gusto"