tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post5331954114798210662..comments2023-11-20T00:39:08.642-08:00Comments on Love Inspired: A Story for Every Reader: DecisionsPamela Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05834270662017246137noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post-27803642022317501202009-08-25T17:17:14.685-07:002009-08-25T17:17:14.685-07:00What wonderful stories. Like you said, Lenora, I a...What wonderful stories. Like you said, Lenora, I always struggle with wondering whether I'm hearing God's voice or my own desires. Of course, I guess I should be praying they're one and the same! :)Missy Tippenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05480008023330542958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post-70232278902105906332009-08-25T12:19:51.811-07:002009-08-25T12:19:51.811-07:00Oh, you have all helped me so much! The elephant s...Oh, you have all helped me so much! The elephant story is so wonderful, Anita Mae. And the funny thing, I did the same and had the signs I'd hinted at revealed to me just as you did. They all added up to make me think I'm making the right decision. Someone told me once though, that no matter the decisions we make, God is in all of them in one way or another. I'll have to explain all of this later, after I've announced this decision to those it concerns. Thanks so much, ladies, for your wisdom!<br /><br />Lenora :)Lenorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18201614257423264316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post-55016116425472739372009-08-25T09:38:32.434-07:002009-08-25T09:38:32.434-07:00My problem arises when I expect to have the answer...My problem arises when I expect to have the answer right now. Sometimes God's plan for me is to wait and deliberate before the path is clear. <br /><br />And I wish I could say I always come to God first with my problems, but all too often, I stew a while first!<br /><br />Good luck!Jill Kemererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07865493609868329393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post-84500902226775525382009-08-25T08:43:43.528-07:002009-08-25T08:43:43.528-07:00Yes, Anita. Why are we surprised when God answers ...Yes, Anita. Why are we surprised when God answers our prayers?<br /><br />I recall one time I had a very tight scheduled day and I was committed to having a cake to take to my children's school. I needed a giveaway 9X13 pan for said cake (for a teacher who's wife was dying of cancer.) I didn't have time to stop at the store so my friend and I were on our way to a church rummage sale and I said I've prayed for a cake pan. My friend chuckled.<br />I entered the church and what was sitting on the very first table?<br />An aluminum cake pan still in its original package and for a dime!<br />My friend looked at me and said, "It's getting scary when you pray, Lyn."<br />But I was smiling!Lyn Cotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11366375647118584580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945907563318808519.post-78811252993759711892009-08-25T07:02:05.387-07:002009-08-25T07:02:05.387-07:00Hey Lenora. Yes, it's hard knowing whether it&...Hey Lenora. Yes, it's hard knowing whether it's God's will or ours. I like to think God's voice surpasses ours though. <br /><br />There was one time I had to make a major decision and I hadn't rec'd a clear answer. We ran a commercial greenhouse in town but finally found a farm 20 mins away. The question was whether to sell the greenhouse business or move it to the farm as well. B/c of our Cdn winters, you have to be close in case of power failure, etc. So I prayed. Didn't think I got an answer. I went ahead and ordered the $ 10,000 worth of cuttings b/c they had to be ordered at that time for planting in Feb. But I didn't feel like I should be doing it. So much inner turmoil.<br /><br />We'd only been on the farm 2 wks in Oct when I looked out my kitchen window and - now I know you're not supposed to test Him - but, I did. I said, "God, I can't figure this out. If you want us to sell the greenhouse, show me a flower." Then, I thought, that's too easy. Many gardens still hadn't been cleaned out. So, I said, "No, show me an elephant if you want us to sell." If any of you know the Cdn prairies, we don't have many elephants out here so I thought that was a pretty good test. I felt at peace after that and went back to washing dishes. <br /><br />Later on that afternoon, I was sweeping the floor and found one of my little guy's toys in a corner. It was a little yellow plastic elephant. Well, he likes animals so that was just a fluke, right?<br /><br />The next morning, I was making lunches when the little guy runs up to me and says, 'Look Mom, I never saw this before!" He showed me his t-shirt label. Yes, the logo had a picture of an elephant. Hmmm.<br /><br />A few hrs later I went to town. When I got to the corner I had to stop for a truck to pass. It was for one of the fertilizer companies and it's logo was painted on it's side. It was a 6 foot picture of an elephant's head. I was stunned.<br /><br />I asked for an elephant, and He showed me 3 of them before 24 hrs had passed. <br /><br />It snowed for several days after that and we rec'd about 18" of the white stuff. About 4 days after the elephant sightings, I was in town with the kids selling Scout popcorn. Snow covered everything. And then there, at one house, we passed a row of flowers, their heads frozen in time, sticking high above the snow. I had asked for a flower, He showed me a row of them. <br /><br />And to complete the story, by the end of the next week, it had snowed so much our biggest greenhouse where we grew all the potted plants, buckled under the weight of the snow rendering it completely useless. Even if we could have straightened out the metal ribs, it wouldn't be warm enough to replace the plastic cover until April. Yet the plants needed to be potted in Feb. It just wasn't going to happen. <br /><br />Now, I'm not suggesting you test God. I'm just telling you that even though you don't hear Him, He answers you.Anita Mae Draperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16618699900826731377noreply@blogger.com