This past week I had an experience which is quite unusual for me, but one which I think would occur much more often if I only opened up to my heart to it. I had a direct, in your face, answer to a prayer which occurred within the hour of me beseeching Jesus to help me out.
This move back to my homeland happened in a quite orderly fashion. Everything fell into place and we arrived back in the Frozen North as expected. BUT…within days of getting here things started falling apart in such an evil and systematic way that it occurred to me that we were suffering spiritual attacks. Because really, one or two things going awry is just circumstance. But, a daily pounding of disaster, one thing right after another, without end just seemed too much to be circumstance.
One of the poundings we have taken is financial, and it was compounded by the fact my last paycheck from Texas, on Friday, was for only one week’s pay. What? I had calculated for a full check!!! Well, okay, maybe I could make this work….but then….
Then, we had a tire blowout on my car and needed to replace all but one. Then, my husband’s car went on the fritz and it appears there is something wrong with something called “a powertrain” (not quite sure what that means, but it makes car knowledgeable people screw up their face in sympathetic pity and shake their heads). Then, several huge bills came due. And there I sat with not enough money to cover these immediate and dire needs much less buy food and have gas money for the next two weeks!
So, with stress and despair filling me, and tears streaming down my face I asked Jesus to please find us the money we need. That was it. No fancy words, just that simple cry for help. Almost immediately, the face of Mary-Lou appeared before me. No, not like a floating in the air image, but a strong, brief, visual of her face. Mary Lou works in HR at my old job, works with the time cards and such, soooo….I shot off a text to her asking about the one week’s pay and did I miscalculate? Her response: “nope, your last day fell in the middle of a pay period.” More tears and worse, a feeling of despair and fear that all that had happened was too big for me to take on and keep my sanity
[Before I continue, some Mary-Lou back story….
Now, one thing you need to know of Mary-Lou is that she has the strongest, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual connection to Our Lord than anyone I’ve ever met. That is NOT an exaggeration either. To her, Christ is not some vague spiritual image or a religious icon to whom to make a half-hearted, genuflected effort of respect; but in her words, He is “the Word made flesh!” The next thing to know about Mary-Lou is that she does not spend her time shoving her beliefs down the throats of others or pointing out the sins which will make one go to hell…nope, that is not Mary-Lou. She just quietly lives The Word, and in doing so brings peace and joy and non-condemning love to those around her. Although Catholic like me, she is able to share and love the Word with people of all faiths (even those who profess disgust for Catholics) and they respond right back to her!]
Mary-Lou texted back and said she’d look into and within the hour I get back a message that she realized my vacation time had not been paid out to me and made arrangements for it to be direct deposited by Tuesday…and I will be receiving just the right amount of money I need to cover the most pressing financial needs!
BAM! Just like that!!! But wait! There’s more!!!
I then get a call from my contact at my new company and on Friday will be receiving the travel reimbursement which will allow us groceries and gas money until next payday!!!
So, from that simple, tearful, heartfelt prayer Jesus worked through two people and answered my prayer and fulfilled my needs. He lifted up my soul and soothed the pain and despair which were overtaking me.
So, I leave you with the chant our high school youth group would yell at our youth conferences….
GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!
ALL THE TIME! GOD IS GOOD!
A Coffee Sipping Catholic 