When We pray...

This has been on my heart for some time.

God heals.

He asks us to pray. He wants to show off His power. I have seen it happen so often, I have decided to do my best to write it out. I am going to try to keep posting the crazy news from Chiang Mai, Thailand or where ever God takes me.

Beware: this just may increase your faith.

I got this great letter today from a student at one of the schools I used to teach at in the US. So I decided to reply and tell him a story:

Hey I'm not sure if you'll remember me but you had substituted a few times when I was at _____ and you've prayed for me before about the stress I was feeling about all my college stuff. I just wanted to say that you praying for me and what you said about the Lord carrying me through my journey really got to me and meant a lot, thank you. I've been accepted at ____ University in _____ and I'm heading up there this August and if you wouldn't mind adding my to your prayers about my college career again whenever you remember I'd appreciate it. Thanks again for taking the time to pray for me.

I sat down right after I read his letter to pray. I had remembered him (vaguely, although facebook is great. That will help me, but before I looked him up, I began to pray for him again.) I felt that I needed this student to know something about my day today, too. 

29 June 2014

Praise the Lord, _____. Thank you for writing to tell me, too! You must be very busy. I feel that I need to pray for you to be available. To be AVAILABLE to God. When He asks, you hear and obey.

A funny thing happened today. I was at home after church and knew I needed to leave to go to some national park I've never been to. I hesitated and when the nudge didn't go away, I left. So quickly in fact I didn't think to put on proper shoes.

My Havianas: quality, but not that great to hike in a national park or go dirt-biking

I arrived at the Mae Wang national park an hour later, fell once and almost fell a handful of time on my borrowed motorcycle in the dry red dirt. I saw some amazing things. But as I was heading home, I felt to take pictures over one lake as the sun was setting. I figured that was it, God wanted to show me His beautiful creation and now I was heading home.

As I was leaving a couple stopped me to let my know my kick stand was down and, as I slowed, they encouraged me to watch the sunset -- you'll see why in these pictures below. They invited me to sit with them, eat chicken and watch the sunset over that same lake. Really, I needed to get home before it got too dark -- I still had another hour drive home. But I felt I needed to stay, so I stayed.

Som Sii, Niwat and me at sunset

The Lord lead the entire conversation. I talked of my testimony of my family how my mom had come to God after 18 yrs of prayer, this last year. By the end of the next hour, the Lord had opened a door to pray to heal this couple. I had told how the Lord had healed me and the girls last weekend.

"You can pray for him," the wife said immediately, pointing at her husband's right leg. "He has a knee injury, from playing futbol."

I was excited to see what God would do. I asked him if he believed God can heal. "He should be able to," he replied. The scripture says it the faith of the one that prays not the one who will be healed, but he had a mustard seed...

I prayed for the husband. The wife and the husband both agreed and we 'AMENed.'

As we were praying the Lord brought the pain down each time, so we thanked Him. By the time we were done, the pain had subsided by at least 50%. He was walking around and he said it doesn't always happen immediately, and I said, "It can!" He was convinced by morning it would be better. They were so happy, that by the time we departed, I had a huge bunch of these on the back of my motorcycle.

Gluay nam waan gift being added to the back of my motorcycle

As I was leaving they asked me why I'd come so far that late in the evening alone. And I replied, "I think it was to pray for your knee to see you experience the power of God." That's how much Jesus loves this couple.

_____, I pray that you will just be available for God, to know Him intimately and for Him to display His power through your life.

I want to recommend you watch this when you have some time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItLIUWPujg8 When we ask God's will, then Jesus answers this and Bill Johnson gives a funny spin to this great reply of Jesus. Then add this 3 minute one to your list: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUO2FMxVrbA

Lake outside Mae Wang National Park, Doi Lo, Chiang Mai, Thailand