Last week we celebrated Matt's 11th birthday! Matt is such a fun-loving soul and the night before his birthday he said, "Mom, why don't you take my presents and make me a scavenger hunt with clues to find them in the morning?"
It was already late and my initial thought was, "nope, I'm too tired," yet outwardly I smiled and said, "that would be fun." When it came time to put his presents on the counter like we normally do, I knew I had to make him a scavenger hunt. So with the help of the family, we stayed up a little later, created clues and made a scavenger hunt of presents around the house for Matt.
When Matt woke up on his birthday and came downstairs, he was so surprised and excited that his presents were not on the counter like they normally are. He turned to me with a big smile and said, "you did the scavenger hunt, didn't you?!"
Why did I do the scavenger hunt? Was it to please Matt? Partially, because making my kids happy feels good. But along with that, it is important to me that Matt knows he can share his heart with me, and I want him to know that he is heard. I want our kids to know that they can always ask me for what they want, and sometimes the answer will be 'yes,' but sometimes the answer will be 'no.'
More importantly, I want our kids to experience this is because I want them to be willing to ask God for what they want. They can learn through Stephen and I that it's always worth asking, yet they need to also learn that sometimes the answer is 'yes,' and sometimes it is 'no,' just like it is with God.
I share this with you today in case you you have something on your heart that you have yet to ask God for, I invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we remember that God hears each and every one of our requests. He will not always say yes to us but that doesn't mean He doesn't want us to ask. May we prepare our hearts that we may not get what we want but trust God's 'no' has a greater purpose, that we may never understand. May we be bold with God, like Matt was with me, and share our heart's desires with Him. And may we rest in knowing we have done our part. Maybe the answer will be no, but maybe we too will wake up one day and be surprised to see that God said yes, like I did to Matt's request for a scavenger hunt on his birthday.
With love and hope,
Shawn
P.S. For more encouragement this week, listen to this week’s NEW PODCAST EPISODE!
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
- Matthew 7:7-11