When Maureen's children were infants...
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When Maureen's children were infants she would rock them to sleep, praying for them. She recalls holding her fifteen-month-old son praying for his future relationships with friends. She prayed that he would make good choices as a young man. She remembers praying that same prayer for years as Jon grew.
When Jon left for college, Maureen could not wait to hear about his roommate. "Well, Mom," Jon said, "he is a recovering drug addict. He was sent here for a year of rehabilitation." His roommate was studying psychology hoping to help other young people avoid the pitfall of drugs and alcohol addiction. His roommate was trying to reenter a normal life.
Maureen was upset, she felt as if God had let her down. She told Jon how she had prayed for him for years. "I prayed for eighteen years for you to have a good roommate," she told her son, "someone who would be a positive influence."
There was a moment of silence on the telephone before Jon replied, "Maybe his mother was praying the same prayer." Jon knew he was loved his whole life and now had a chance to help a young man with serious problems.
Maureen learned that God always answers our prayers, though not as we thought.
The apostle Paul lifted up Abraham as a person of great faith who throughout his life continued to believe in God's promise. "Hoping against hope," Paul wrote, Abraham "believed that he would become 'the father of many nations.' "
When Jon left for college, Maureen could not wait to hear about his roommate. "Well, Mom," Jon said, "he is a recovering drug addict. He was sent here for a year of rehabilitation." His roommate was studying psychology hoping to help other young people avoid the pitfall of drugs and alcohol addiction. His roommate was trying to reenter a normal life.
Maureen was upset, she felt as if God had let her down. She told Jon how she had prayed for him for years. "I prayed for eighteen years for you to have a good roommate," she told her son, "someone who would be a positive influence."
There was a moment of silence on the telephone before Jon replied, "Maybe his mother was praying the same prayer." Jon knew he was loved his whole life and now had a chance to help a young man with serious problems.
Maureen learned that God always answers our prayers, though not as we thought.
The apostle Paul lifted up Abraham as a person of great faith who throughout his life continued to believe in God's promise. "Hoping against hope," Paul wrote, Abraham "believed that he would become 'the father of many nations.' "
