Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

As I think about this Easter Sunday coming up and God’s wonderful grace, I wanted to post a journal entry my mom wrote years ago that I recently came across. Here is an excerpt of that entry dated January 2000:

“I BELIEVE IN YOU, LORD!”

“I lay on my bed with the flu, which has hit me hard like a ton of bricks. I have not been sick in five years, but the Lord always has us in His care and knows what we need, even in our infirmities He disciplines us, because He loves us, so I see my sickness was just a pause, a time out, to be with the Lord in prayer. I was able to think on my past and future and how wonderful it is to be in the arms of the Lord all the time. I chose this New Year’s resolution to remind myself to be in prayer at all times and to see how I believe fits into every area of our lives. It is not enough to say, I believe in God and in His creation of the world, we must also believe in His son Jesus who came to earth in human form to die for our sins…Jesus who was crucified, buried, and resurrected.

I believe because in my lifetime, He has been with me through the most trying moments as I was growing up and entered into adulthood. I believe in His miracles as I have seen many. I believe because even in the smallest of things He is there to help. I believe because I am never lonely or alone…He guides me. I feel His hand hold mine and things turn out right and I know for sure it was Him; Jesus is with me. I believe because when I pray I know they will all come to pass with a good answer from God Almighty.

Upon rising each day, I will say, “Good morning,” to Jesus, and know this will be a good day because I believe, no matter what the circumstances. The entire Holy Bible is full of thousands of promises just for us…how can we not grasp them for ourselves if we believe? God Almighty will soften the blows; He will be with me as I climb the mountains and travel the desert. I feel as though I could write a whole book and perhaps more on this subject. Great things have happened in my life for which I’ve had to call on Jesus and trust no one else. That’s not to say I do not seek prayer from my brothers and sisters in Christ, because I know the power of prayer and that is where my belief comes from – seeing the miracles of answered prayers from our living God.

I desire that this year my daughter will seek the Lord with all her heart, because I believe. Our family, the people at our church and from many churches in California are praying for her also. I believe in His promise that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). To me, I believe, means having “FAITH” in my heart….”

Nearly 8 months after my mom wrote the above journal entry, it was on August 13, 2000, that the hand of God did even greater than she could have imagined when she penned the words above! Her husband and love of over 60 years of marriage gave his life to Jesus Christ, the year of this journal entry, and was baptized in New Mexico where they lived. My dad was 80 years old and asked me, “Son, what do I need to do to be saved?” Dad enjoyed the presence of the Lord for the remainder of his years and was welcomed by the Lord in 2009, on Easter Sunday. Praise the Lord!

In addition to God’s wonder and grace, my mom’s prayers for her daughter, Jamie, were answered one week later at the end of the same week that my dad was baptized. Jamie gave her life to Christ and was also baptized. My mom believed this was to be and received the answer to her many prayers over the years. In 2007, Jamie’s son, Gage, was also baptized and gave his life to Christ Jesus. Lord, it is true, that you are so able to do the miraculous if we will have even as little faith as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).

My mom will be 89 years old this coming October 2017. She has loved life with Jesus standing beside her even as a little girl when times were hard. Throughout her life she has witnessed the living God work His power in the hearts of the hard-hearted and through prayer and by believing in faith, she has seen those hearts softened and come into the living presence of our King and Savior.

I believe can only mean one thing to the weary and burdened soul: that God will provide you rest (Matthew 11: 28-30). I believe means that He is the Creator and Designer of this marvelous universe and beyond (Colossians 1:16-17). I believe means that His promises are real and shall always be “yes,” therefore the impossible becomes the possible. Faith in one’s heart can grow to say, I believe in Jesus who came to this earth as the Son of God, who loved me and died for me (Galatians 2: 20), but above this, he arose from the grave victoriously on the third day (I Corinthians 15:19-20).

Believing in Jesus as Christ the Messiah, as Savior and King and risen Lord will transform heart, soul, and mind (Romans 12:2). Faith says, I believe He is coming again (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)!

Easter is upon us – let us renew our faith in the One whom we believe as we are convinced that he is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him for that day (2 Timothy 1:12). This Easter Sunday may you find yourself surrendering to Jesus Christ your Savior and finding rest for your soul! Praise God for His indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Love you, Mom, for your endless example of faith in Christ!