Anatomy Of Answered Prayer

The sell of our home is living proof that prayer is necessary and powerful. Our home was on the market for 90 days. (The average time on the market is 120 days) Throughout this time Cammie and I (and a host of others) contended in prayer, perhaps in a way we never had before. God taught us much about what prayer is and what prayer is not. We never imagined God would use the sell of our home to teach us so much. Here's a survey of prayer events that led to the answered prayer for which we are so thankful.

August 28th - Home Officially On The Market. Cammie and I made a commitment to continually and consistently call out to God for His perfect plan and timing in relation to the sell of our home. Our desire was to be in NC by the end of the year and more specifically - by Christmas.

Month of September - We came face to face with the reality that the housing market was truly changing and at an alarming speed. The statics were that the market was changing, unfavorably to sellers, every 72 hours. We pressed in all the more through prayer.

Month of October - Created this blog for the purpose of a concerted effort of prayer by friends and family. The reponse was wonderful as many of our friends and family committed to the power of agreement. It was also during this month that Cammie and I committed 4 Mondays to, not only a time of concentrated prayer, but to this we added (at the prompting of the Lord) fasting. Our prayer focus was that God would grant favor in unfavorable times.

Month of November - We sensed that we were released from the weekly fasting. At the same time we felt we were to press in even more diligently, contending in prayer, continuing to submit to God's will and timing - yet - expressing to Him the desire of hearts. Our desire was to be Home for Christmas. (Home being NC) The Wednesday in the week prior to Thanksgiving I felt an urgency to call for a group of intercessors to commit to prayer at a specific time and on a specific day. The Friday prior to Thanksgiving a group of approximately 35 people, across the U.S. and in the UK committed to pray for at least a five minute segment sometime between 9:30 and 10:30 am - Pacific time. The focus was to specifically ask God to expedite the sale of our home based on our desire to be home for Christmas. In order for this to happen something would need to happen no later than the day before Thanksgiving.

On that Wednesday I also felt the desire and need to get away - in a different environment - to be alone with the Lord. I drove up to Santa Barbara. It was there, as I was walking down the shoreline that I heard the Lord speak in a clear voice. He spoke two distinct words to me after a period of praying and singing in the spirit. The first word was...

"I am the Lord Almighty. I have sent you out. I will not delay."

The second word followed almost immediately.

"This transition has been like a pregnancy. The gestation period is over. It is time to give birth."

Needless to say - I was filled with great excitment upon hearing these two words. Throughout the entire process the Lord had given us a series of scriptural promises and we had been praying according to the promises, daily. These two words seemed to be the capstone. I knew that they were from the Lord and that He would fulfill His promises. On Friday morning the strategic prayer forces was lauched and successully executed. Prayer was being offered and God was listening. It was amazing to see God bring the birth He had promised.

On Wedneday, the day before Thanksgiving a couple came to view our home. They expressed an interest. On Friday evening, the day after Thanksgiving, they made a verbal offer. That offer was finalized in writing this past Monday evening and escrow opened yesterday. Our escrow is scheduled to close on December 21st. This date, by the way, is Zach's last day of school.

All this to say - We'll be rolling in to NC on Christmas day. God has honored the desire of our heart to - Be Home For Christmas. Thank you to all who have prayed for us along the way. It was necessary that we go through this three month period. It was during this time, as we sought the Lord that he taught us about His character, He gave us an even greater understanding of what prayer is and isn't. (We confess that there were times along the way we were challenged in trying to understand prayer) It was also during this 3 month period that God gave us a greater understanding of our future as well as insight into what our next season of life and ministry will look like. We have great anticipation of the future.

The Best Is Yet To Come!