God's divine timing and beautifully woven plans He has for us, can present themselves in the most unexpected ways.
For much of my life I have tried quite hard to get into the habit of journaling, to no avail. But one thing I learned at a rather young age was to write down my prayers, to keep my mind from wandering during my prayers, and to give me the opportunity to look back on the things God has done in my life. Over time, I have grown to understand the blessings that lie in unanswered prayers, because the Lord knows what we want, but He gives us what we need.
Learning how to have peace and trust during the waiting periods and unanswered prayers is not easy, but choosing to wait in the Lord makes the reward of an unanswered prayer so much sweeter each and every time.
Prayer: Lord please lead me to likeminded people my age to help support me in this journey to strengthen my relationship with you. Surround me with others who feel the same struggles, and are facing the same challenges so I don't feel quite so alone.
I began this prayer well over a year ago now and if someone had told me how the Lord would answer, I obviously would not have believed them. He did not bring me a community of these likeminded individuals when I asked for them, and the ones I got were not my age. Instead, the Lord decided it was time for me to face some change, in my scenery, in my community, in my job, and in my direction, and I could not be more thankful. The Lord has since blessed me with more of a strong, supportive, God-fearing community than I have ever had. He has blessed me with a beautiful, warm, and loving church family, all older than me and in completely different stages of life, but impressive role models I now look to for advice and support throughout my own struggles. I am finally excited to wake up on Sundays and attend church surrounded by people who are on fire for Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, please heal this horse. Please make him physically strong enough to continue rodeoing with me, please don't take him from me, I have so much more to learn. I don't know how to be confident without him.
This one was one of the more difficult prayers to say, and even more difficult to understand the Lord had a greater plan. The horse I learned to ride on was starting to age, but I had just started my career in rodeo and I couldn't imagine having to do these things without him. Having to retire him just felt so wrong. To make a long story slightly shorter, at what was meant to be my final rodeo with Smoke, I reconnected with the sweet young daughter of a family friend who was just beginning her rodeo journey, with hope to be a rodeo queen as well someday. As it all comes full circle, a horse that could no longer process with me had the opportunity to help another young girl learn how to walk so that she could learn to fly one day too. The best horse I have ever had, was blessed with a new purpose, not what I had prayed for, but definitely what we both needed.
Prayer: Lord please help me to be successful, help the judges to see the work I have put in, and help me to perform my best as I compete for this title. And Lord, if this is not your will, help me to have patience in the waiting for your greater plan.
Now this prayer did not last long, but it was said with every bit of me leading up to my last competition, and I could not be more grateful He chose not to answer the first half of that prayer. I did perform well, however, I was not successful, the judges did not favor me, and I did not win. I honestly don't think words can convey how overwhelmingly thankful I am that things did not go my way. This was such a pivotal point in my relationship with my Heavenly Father for a few reasons, but mostly because I had to make an active choice to trust that His plan was greater. As my family was upset and frustrated, my friends were shocked and confused, I was able to pack my things and leave that day with complete peace and satisfaction with the job I had done. I decided to rest in the knowledge that His plan was something much greater, I didn't know when it would come, I didn't know what it was, just that it was on it's way and I trusted that with every ounce of myself. Well, the good Lord didn't make me wait too long thankfully, a phone call three days later, followed by a plane flight and three suitcases packed to the brim, and my life changed forever. I can't wait to share this part of the story with y'all but this one isn't quite done being written, so stay tuned because you won't want to miss it.
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