Trusting God

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
When I look back on my life I realize that sometimes I did pray about things, but mostly I would do what I think is right and not wait for God to answer. Then after I make a decision, I ask for help when I am in a mess. This has been a pattern in my life.  I think to really trust in God you need to wait until you know God has answered. I have so many times asked for help after I was already in a mess. God has helped me, but I wonder how much needless pain I went through because I did not pray and wait. I prayed and went. This is a pattern that needs to be broken.  I have been successful when I have prayed and waited for God's answer. One specific prayer was where to go to church when I moved to Tupelo. I prayed and waited and actually was discouraged because it took me all of 4 months for God to answer. Actually it took me four months to follow his direction. But I prayed for a church to attend and visited several churches over that time period. One morning I happened to visit Hope Church in Tupelo for the first time. After that first visit I didn't desire to even look any more. Once before I prayed for a church to attend in Everett WA.  My wife had asked me to pray about it and I did. this was probably sometime in 1995. We were a mixed race couple. I was reading Ephesians 5:25 at the time and asked how do I apply this scripture to this prayer.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25.  We had visited Second Baptist Church in Everett WA probably a few times. It was obviously a Black Baptist Church. As I thought on this scripture, my wife's culture was black. A deacon at Second Baptist had given her away at our wedding ceremony. My wife had two aunts that attended that church. I thought that is how I apply this scripture at that time. My first months at that church I felt like a fish out of water. I was much of the time the only white person in that congregation. Hind sight being 20/20, I look back and know I made the right decision. God had some changes in store for me and that was the place. I will never forget my wife's response when she asked if I had prayed and decided. I said yes I have. I feel Second Baptist is the answer to my prayer. Her response was, "How in the hell can you pick Second Baptist?"  Hind sight being 20/20, looking back it was the right decision for that time, at least for me. I honestly believe it was right for her also but it wasn't what she expected. I think she thought it would be some White Church like Bethel Christian Assembly or something like that. Now God didn't answer the same way when I came to Tupelo. He didn't direct me to a Black Baptist Church. Our needs are different even though we are a mixed race couple. But I believe God directed me to Hope Church. I believe God has confirmed that several times over the last 5 years. I think I am learning to pray and wait for God to answer. Hope Church has been a real blessing to me and Barbara in many ways.  Going to Second Baptist changed my outlook on Race issues and so has Hope affected my thinking once again. I have had God answer two prayers in my life instantly. Only two. Many times I have had to wait for the answer, but it is always worth the wait. I remember in Tacoma going to CFAN and thinking this is the best church I have ever been to in my life. When I moved to Tupelo, I wanted to find something as good as CFAN.  I think I found better. Not to say Hope is the only good church in Tupelo or even CFAN the only good church in Tacoma. There are many good churches, but part of the answer is being where God wants you to be. A place where you can grow and be a blessing to others at the same time. Trust in the Lord, pray about things and give God time to answer. God will answer in his own time, and it is always worth the wait to be in God's will.  There was a time when I had my license suspended and had to get SR22 insurance. I checked one time and for me to buy a newer car with car payments, my insurance would have been $430 a month. more than the car payment would have been. I had promised my Mom I would take her to a family reunion in N.D.  My old 85 Cadillac didn't feel trustworthy. This was about 2005, the year Katrina hit.  I prayed about my situation. I felt I needed a better car before this trip. One day I was looking at autos for sale, and there I saw a 1996 Olds  Ciera for $4000.00 with only 27,000 miles on it. I called and was the first person to call and bought it. Waiting on God paid off.  God bless, LVZ.