change your life. change your world.

Vol 12 • Issue 1

THE PARCEL
God’s Special Delivery

Why Not?
“Unanswered” prayer

Addicted to Prayer
Feel the rush
 Browse our website or contact one of the
distributors below to enjoy the inspirational,
motivational, and practical help offered in
our books and audiovisual material.
Vol 12, Issue 1 www.activated.org
Activated Ministries
P.O. Box 462805
Escondido, CA 92046–2805
P ER S O N A LLY S P E A K I N G
USA
If you use the Internet, you know what a Toll-free: 1–877–862–3228
quick and easy source of information it can Email: info@actmin.org
be. Instead of trekking to a library to pore www.activatedonline.com
over stacks of books and other printed Activated Europe
material to locate something, you can find Bramingham Pk. Business Ctr.
Enterprise Way
what you need right from home or work
Luton, Beds. LU3 4BU
by simply using an Internet search engine, United Kingdom
typing a few key words, and clicking “search.” Instantly, links to +44 (0) 845 838 1384
a multitude of websites related to whatever it is you’re looking Email: activatedEurope@activated.org
for appear on your computer screen. Admittedly it is hit and Activated Africa
miss, and you may still need to skim quite a bit of material to P.O. Box 2509
Faerie Glen 0043
find the specifics you’re looking for—like you used to have to South Africa
do with those stacks of books—but the Internet puts a world of +27 (86) 445 1196
information at your fingertips. Email: activatedAfrica@activated.org
Wouldn’t it be great, though, if instead of merely supplying Activated India
you with information, the Internet could actually solve your P.O. Box 5215
G.P.O.
problems, answer your really deep questions, help organize and Bangalore – 560 001
direct your daily life, and satisfy your emotional and spiritual India
needs? The Internet will never be able to do all those things, of Email: activatedIndia@activated.org
course, but God can. Not only that, but God is even quicker and Activated Philippines
easier to access than the Internet because He included all the P.O. Box 1147
needed hardware and software when He created you. You can Antipolo City P.O.
1870 Antipolo City
reach Him anytime, from anywhere, for free, and it’s never a hit- Philippines
and-miss process. He always knows exactly what you need. Cell: (0922) 8125326
All you need to power up your system is faith. You get that Email: activatedPI@activated.org
faith by reading up on your equipment in the maker’s manual, Activated Australia
the Bible. Faith-building tips can also be found in firsthand +61 2 8005 1938
accounts of people who are already powered up and enjoying Email: info@activated.org.au
www.activated.org.au
the benefits, like the articles you’ll find in this issue of Activated.
Connect with God, and you too can receive, enjoy, and benefit Editor Keith Phillips
from all He has to offer—which is everything. Design Michelle Lavigne
Stefan Merour
Keith Phillips Production Jessie Richards
For Activated
www.auroraproduction.com
© 2010 Aurora Production AG
All Rights Reserved
Printed in Taiwan by Ji Yi Co., Ltd.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise
indicated, are taken from the New King James
Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
2
 THE
UZZLE
P
By Bonita Hele

From the early-learning wooden or foam variety

to intricate 10,000-piece or 3D types, puzzles are
a proven way to develop problem-solving skills, as
well as a pleasant hobby for all ages.

When I was 11, I became Sometimes we face compli-

fascinated with jigsaw puzzles.
My mother and I would relax
together at the kitchen table,
piecing together increasingly
complex puzzles. We would
cover the unfinished puzzle with
the tablecloth at mealtimes, then
remove it afterward and get to
work at finding that next piece.
It has been a while since
I’ve had the time to assemble a
major puzzle, but my toddler
is learning to put simple ones
together. I can take one look at
the pieces and easily tell where
they will fit, yet my little boy
sometimes struggles to find the
proper place for the piece he is
holding. When he gets stuck and
frustrated, he turns to me and I
give him a suggestion or a clue.
Eventually he figures out where
each piece goes and is happy. I
love that look of accomplish-
ment that he gets when he has
completed the puzzle.
cated situations where there
appears to be no way out or
through. It’s often during those
times that we realize “resorting to
prayer” is our best option. How
like children we are, trying to
piece together and make sense
of difficult situations ourselves,
when God is ready, willing, and
able to help.
Like a parent, He enjoys helping
us work on the puzzle of life. From
His vantage point He can easily
see which piece needs to go where,
and what should come next. He
doesn’t put the puzzle together
for us, because we wouldn’t learn
much if He did. But when we get
stuck, He can give us hints. He
works with us piece by piece, and
piece by piece we see the picture
come together.
Bonita Hele is a member of the
Family International in India. ■
THE ANSWER MAN
God knows what we need
even before we ask,1 but
He usually waits for us to
ask. Sometimes our own
pride and independence get
in the way. We don’t want
to ask for help because we
don’t want to admit that we
don’t have the solution. So
we try to do it ourselves
to the point of frustration,
when all we need to do is
ask and receive His answer.
If we’re smart, we’ll be like
the fellow who said, “I may
not know all the answers,
but I know the answer
man.” He is the answer!—
David Brandt Berg
1. Matthew 6:8

3
PRAYER
PRAYER
By David Brandt Berg
PRAYER POWER
PRAYER
PRAYER
PRAYER
POWER
The Lord leaves a lot up to us and
our concern and prayer. If we only pray
halfheartedly, we only get half an answer. But if we
pray with our whole heart, we get a wholehearted,
strong answer. Like a beam of light focused on a
mirror, a prayer will reflect or be answered with the
same intensity that it was prayed.
The game of pocket billiards, or pool, also makes
a fitting analogy. There are a number of variations
of the game, but all are played on a six-pocket
billiard table and have the same basic object: to use
a cue ball to knock other balls into the pockets.
The player controls the original force and direc-
tion in which the cue ball is set in motion, and that
determines everything else that happens. Prayer
works much the same way. The position of each of
the people or situations involved has a bearing on
what happens next, but the way in which we pray
for them also helps determine the outcome. The
way we word or express our prayer and the way we
ask God to answer are like the way we hit the cue
ball. The force, the angle, and the spin we put on it
all work together to help determine the outcome.
4
POWER
POWER
POWER
POWER
The lead player is God. He made the break shot
that scattered the balls originally. Shot by shot, He
and you and the other players keep changing the
position of the balls. The only difference is, God is
not trying to beat you. He’s actually trying to help
you win, if you’re on His side.
It’s like playing doubles: Your partner is God,
and your opponents are the Devil and his ilk. Your
partner, God, tries to set up your next shot for you.
But of course, no matter how well God sets things
up, if you don’t shoot straight, it won’t do any good.
And no matter how good your aim is, that target
ball (the person or situation you’re praying about)
has to be in a position where you can hit it right.
Let’s take radio waves for another illustration.
Say you’re going to send a radio message via satel-
lite, for someone on the other side of the world to
pick up. First of all, your transmitter won’t have
any power unless it’s plugged into the current.
Next, your transmitter has to be in good condition.
If it’s faulty or out of whack or tuned to the wrong
frequency, it won’t transmit properly and it won’t
get the message through clearly. Also, the antenna
has to be aimed so that the message is beamed in
exactly the right direction to hit the relay satellite.
In this illustration, you are the transmitter and
antenna, the Holy Spirit provides the power, and
God’s will is the satellite. If your set is automated
so that the Holy Spirit is in control, then it’s auto-
matically tuned just right—power, beam, direction,
everything—by the Lord’s own computer, and it
can’t miss. But if you’ve been fooling around with
the dials and the settings, you can mess up the
whole works by trying to do it your way. Also, the
satellite of God’s will has to be in the right position
to bounce it down to the intended recipient, and
the recipient has got to be in the right position and
have his receiver turned on in order to receive it.
Prayer depends on these four principal factors:
your position, God’s position, the position of the
person or situation you’re praying for, and the way
you pray.
In the pocket billiards illustration, it depends
on the positions of the cue ball, the target ball,
the pocket, and the way you shoot. You don’t
control the outcome completely, the person you’re
praying for doesn’t control it completely, and God
has specifically limited Himself not to control it
completely, but to let it be affected by these other
factors.
In the radio transmission illustration, the
position of His satellite is set, but how it is used
depends on you and the recipient. In other words,
God has set the position of His overall plans, but
how you fit into the plan depends on your posi-
tion, the position of the person or thing you’re
praying for, and whether or not your beam is
aimed right to hit the satellite.
So God has left a lot up to you and a lot up to
them. He will always do His part. If it’s accord-
ing to God’s will—what He knows is best for
everyone concerned—and you and the object of
your prayer are in the right position and you aim
straight, your prayer will hit the target and have
the desired effect.
Prayer Power was excerpted from God O nline ,
a booklet in the Mountain Streams series,
available from any of the addresses on page 2.
5
SURROUNDED BY PRAYER
By Eldora Sichrovsky

When my older sister Evelyn was 16, she suddenly the ordeal was over. “That gave me
began experiencing excruciating pain in her lower- strength for the difficult things I
right abdomen. As the pain intensified, she began running a fever faced, as well as peace that Jesus
and vomiting. I remember the anxiety and desperation we all felt as my was in control.”
dad rushed her to the nearest hospital. Do you know someone who
A doctor in the emergency unit discovered a large gangrenous cyst in is struggling, whose load can’t be
Evelyn’s abdomen. The cyst had twisted, cutting off blood circulation and lifted with human hands? Do you
causing the extreme pain. Time sped by in a blur as she was hurriedly pre- have a loved one who is hurting,
pared for emergency surgery. At home, the rest of us prayed fervently, asking whose pain you cannot ease by
Jesus to protect, comfort, and surround her with His loving presence. human means? Do you long to
It was nearly midnight when Evelyn was wheeled out of the operating be there to help care for them, yet
room. The surgery, it turned out, had been performed just in time. The you don’t know how? Then pray.
cyst had already begun to leak toxic fluids and destroy the surrounding Jesus hears, He cares, and His
tissues, but she was alive and safe. We thanked Jesus for that. power—activated through your
During the five-day hospital stay that followed, I wished I could prayers—has no limits.
be there around the clock to help in some physical way. But I found You hold amazing power to
that even after visiting hours were over and I had to go home, my help those you love, to span the
prayers could do more for her than my physical presence could have. gulf between you, and to bring
For example, when Evelyn suffered serious allergic reactions to the them the best possible support and
intravenous painkillers, I believe my prayers were much more of a help care. Surround your loved ones
to her doctors’ finding a solution than whatever comfort I might have with prayer.
been able to give her had I been there.
Our family’s and friends’ prayers surrounded her every day until she Eldora Sichrovsky is a member
returned safely home, and they continued throughout the weeks of her of the Family International in
recovery. “I always knew you were praying for me,” she told me after Taiwan. ■

6
Why Not?
For the New Year when
I was six, what I wanted
above all was to move to
the mountains. Over the
Christmas holidays my family
had visited relatives who lived in
a mountainous area, and it was
the first time I’d experienced the
magic of so much snow. I’d loved
every moment of it.
I prayed earnestly for our
family’s relocation, starting
around Christmas and continuing
well into January. At first I was
confident that it would take place
soon, but it finally became obvious
that no move was imminent. I
eventually got over the childish
fixation, but the question lingered
in my mind much longer: Why
had God not answered my prayer?
I realize now that God does
always answer our prayers, but
not always right away or always
in the way we want or expect
Him to. Sometimes He says “yes,”
sometimes He says “no,” and
sometimes He says “wait.”
As children, we would see
something we wanted in a
store, or something that our
schoolmates had, and we were
convinced it could make us
happy. Some of us still have this
mentality and act as though
God were a pharmacist filling
prescriptions for us, or Santa
Claus ticking items off our wish
list. In fact, God doesn’t answer
some prayers the way we want or
expect Him to because He knows
that what we’re praying for would
not really be good for us or others.
When we don’t receive an
immediate, favorable answer
from God, instead of concluding
that God hasn’t heard our prayer
or that He has forsaken us, we
should consider that maybe He
wants to test our faith, to see if
we will keep loving and trusting
Him no matter what, which
By Samuel Keating
wouldn’t be evident if He gave us
everything we wanted the moment
we asked.
Other times, God may have
answered our prayer, but we
simply don’t like the way He did
it. If we’ve already figured out
exactly what we want and are just
asking God to provide it for us,
but our plan is not what He knows
is best, then He is doing the wise
and loving thing in withholding
our request. We need to try to
align our petitions with His much
broader and better plans.
Oh, and in the years since I
prayed that New Year prayer that
didn’t seem to materialize, I’ve
enjoyed many snowy winters in
several countries and settings.
God’s answer, it turned out, was
“Yes, in My time.”
Samuel Keating is a member of
the Family International and an
Activated contributing editor. ■
7
HOW PRAYER
BENEFITS
By Julie Vasquez
There are so many benefits to spending time
with God that you really can’t afford not
to. He can help you solve every problem, answer
your every question, heal all your heartaches,
comfort you when you’re sorrowful, give you joy,
and bring you closer to heaven. The list is endless.
Prayer changes things. It’s one means by which
God gives His children what they need or want, as
long as it’s good for them and others. “Whatever
things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”1
Time spent in quiet reflection builds inner
strength that will carry you through life’s toughest
times. “In the day when I cried out, You answered
me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.”2
You will find rest and renewal when your spirit is
sagging and your mind is troubled. “Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn
from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy
and My burden is light.”3
Once you have committed a matter to God in
prayer, you can have the assurance that He will take
1. Matthew 21:22 5. Psalm 147:3
2. Psalm 138:3 6. Psalm 94:19
3. Matthew 11:28–30 7. James 1:5
4. Romans 8:28 8. Proverbs 3:6
9. Jeremiah 33:3
8
care of it as He knows best. “We know that all things
work together for good to those who love God.”4
You will find comfort in times of sadness and
grief, reassurance when you’re down, and courage to
go on when you think you can’t. Jesus will help you
see your troubles in proper perspective, as He sees
them, and give you peace of mind. “He heals the
brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”5 “In the
multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts
delight my soul.”6
As you receive and apply the things the Lord shows
you, you will become wiser. “If any of you lacks
wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally
and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”7
Jesus will guide you through the maze of life.
He will help you know what to do when you face
problems and tough decisions. He has promised
to instruct you, establish your thoughts, and guide
your steps. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and
He shall direct your paths.”8
He will inspire you with good ideas. “Call to
Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and
mighty things, which you do not know.”9 Jesus will
YOU
prevent some problems from happening by warning
you in advance, and give you solutions to others.
“Whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be
secure, without fear of evil.”10
You can be healed physically. “The prayer of faith
will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”11
You can be forgiven for wrongdoing. “I said, ‘I
will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You
forgave the iniquity of my sin.”12
You will gain insight into the natural world as
well as the spiritual realm. “Eye has not seen, nor ear
heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the
things which God has prepared for those who love
Him. But God has revealed them to us through His
Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep
things of God.”13
Prayer draws on the power of God, so you will be
able to accomplish more, and do so more easily. “He
gives power to the weak, and to those who have no
might He increases strength. … Those who wait on
the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount
up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be
weary, they shall walk and not faint.”14
10. Proverbs 1:33 15. Philippians 4:6–7
11. James 5:15 16. Matthew 7:7–8
12. Psalm 32:5 17. Psalm 119:18
13. 1 Corinthians 2:9–10 18. Romans 8:26
14. Isaiah 40:29,31
You will have greater peace of mind. “Be anxious
for nothing, but in everything by prayer and sup-
plication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God; and the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.”15
You can claim God’s supply of your material
needs. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and
you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks
finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”16
Jesus will open to you the treasures of His
Word if you will pray, as King David did, “Open
my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from
Your law.”17
You can get the Lord’s help even when you don’t
know what to ask for. “We do not know what we
should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself
makes intercession for us.”18
How Prayer Benefits You was excerpted from Prayer
Power, a booklet in the Get Activated series,
available from any of the addresses on page 2.
9
THE PARCEL
How many times have most
parents wanted to buy a toy
for their child “just because”?
It wasn’t a special occasion or something
the child needed or had even asked for—
but the parent knew the child would
enjoy it and wanted him or her to have it.
I faced such a situation with my
19-month-old son Logan recently. I’m
not sure why I had set my heart on
getting him a rocking horse. Maybe it
was because his favorite video included a
scene with children on rocking horses, or
maybe it was because every time we went
to a nearby toy store the salesperson
would invite him to play on one of the
Logan rocking out
10
By Mercy D’Souza
display horses, and he never fussed when it was time to go. To
tell you the truth, he didn’t seem as attached to that rocking
horse as I was, but I couldn’t stop thinking how nice it would
be for him to have it.
The problem was that it cost more than I could afford. I
tried telling myself that children grow out of toys quickly and
that Logan might not even play with it much, but the desire to
get him one persisted.
One evening Logan and I were looking at pictures of toys,
and there was a rocking horse. On impulse I suggested, “Let’s
pray for Jesus to give you a horse like this one.” After a short
but sincere prayer, I felt I had done what I could, and I soon
forgot about the matter.
A few days later, we got a large parcel from some friends who
had said they were going to send some clothes for the children. I
had expected a small box, but what came was massive.
I opened the box and started to go through it. Imagine
my surprise when I saw, buried under clothes and small
toys, a wooden rocking horse that was the perfect size for
Logan. I could hardly believe my eyes. Then I remembered
our prayer a few days earlier. God had used this incident to
inspire our faith.
Every time I see the horse I realize once more how much
God loves us—enough to supply not only our needs, but also
our wants.
Mercy D’Souza is a member of the Family
International in India. ■
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and He shall give you the
desires of your heart.—
Psalm 37:4
Answers to your questions
Finding time for prayer
Q: I realize that prayer is important, and
I want to use it to connect with God,
but it never seems like I have the time.
How can I fit it into an already busy day?
A: It takes time to communicate with
anyone, including God. There’s
no way around it. It’s a mistake,
though, to think of time spent in prayer as time
that could have been better used to get other
things done, because if you take time to pray,
you’ll be able to get a lot more done than you
would otherwise. It’s an investment, but once
you start reaping the benefits, you’ll wonder how
you ever managed without it. Here are a few tips
to help get you started:
Make a conscious effort. Like forming any
new habit, this will take consistent determination.
In time, though, you’ll find that you’re remember-
ing to pray more, and forgetting to less.
Make prayer a priority. You always have time
for the things you consider most important.
1. Proverbs 3:6
2. Matthew 7:7
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
4. James 1:5
Set aside specific times in your daily routine.
If you wait till everything else is taken care of, it
will never happen. If you find that one time of
day doesn’t work well for you, try another. If you
miss your appointed times one day, don’t give up!
Try again the next day.
Set attainable goals. It’s not how long you
pray that counts, but how earnest and sincere
you are and how much you believe your prayers
will be answered.
Take advantage of spare moments. You can
pray during a coffee break, when stuck in traffic,
while waiting for an appointment, while cook-
ing, while taking a shower, while waiting for
the baby to drift off to sleep, while walking the
dog—almost any time, really.
Pray before starting each new task. “In all
your ways acknowledge [God], and He shall
direct your paths.”1 In many cases, a prayer of
only a sentence or two is all it takes.
Pray at the first sign of trouble. Ask for
clarity of thought, composure, strength, inspira-
tion, or answers—whatever you need at the
moment—and God will give it.2
“ P R AY W I T H O U T C E A S I N G ” 3
You don’t have to be on your knees, praying
frantically for God to hear you. Prayer is something
you can and should be doing all the time, no matter
what else you’re doing—like thinking on your feet. If
you pray as you go about whatever it is you’re doing
and ask God for wisdom, He will give it to you.4
—David Brandt Berg
11
PRAYER POINTERS
By Natalia Nazarova

Variety is the items as new needs arise, Teaming up. Unloading. When
spice of life. This and mark items “Done!” Sometimes I arrange I feel overwhelmed by
certainly has when God answers. with a friend to spend problems or the task
proven true in my Prayer promises. I 10 or 15 minutes pray- ahead, I sometimes
prayer life. Here printed “promise” verses ing together. “If two unburden my mind
are a few things that from the Bible—“Ask of you agree on earth and spirit by imagining
have worked for me at and it will be given to concerning anything each issue as a brick and
different times. you,”1 for example—on that they ask,” Jesus handing it over to Jesus,
Prayer list. When small cards. As I pray promised, “it will be in the form of a short
I began taking a few for each item on my done for them by My prayer.
minutes every day to list, I draw a card from Father in heaven.”2 Variety. When prayer
pray for others, I simply the stack and apply Pillow prayer. When gets ho-hum or routine,
prayed for whoever that promise. [Editor: A I can’t sleep, I focus my I ask Jesus for a new
came to mind. I soon partial list of prayer promises, thoughts on others and plan or way to pray.
found, however, that arranged categorically, can their needs, and pray
there was almost no end be found in the Get Activated for God to provide. Or Natalia Nazarova
to people and situations booklet Prayer Power, sometimes I count my is a member of the
that needed divine available from any of the blessings in the form of Family International
intervention. To make addresses on page 2.] short, specific prayers in Argentina. ■
the most of my prayer Meditative prayer. of praise and thanksgiv-
time, I needed to get Nowhere am I more ing to God for His
organized, so I started aware of God’s love and goodness. After a short
keeping a written list. I care than when I walk while, I usually drift off
don’t have time to pray in nature. As I take in to sleep.
for every item on my the sights and sounds of
list every day, so I keep His creation, I ask Him
track by checking off to guide my thoughts
each item as I pray for to people and situations
it. When I get to the that need my prayers,
bottom, I start over with and then ask Him to
another series of check- take care of them as
marks. I also add new only He can.

1. Matthew 7:7
2. Matthew 18:19

12
Addicted to Prayer
POWER POINT
By Ariana Andreassen Prayer is the most
powerful form of
The 19 th -century British preacher Charles Spurgeon said energy that one can
something that to me defines the role of a Christian in generate. The influence
regard to prayer. “As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to of prayer on the
their classical pursuits, so must we addict ourselves to prayer.” human mind and body
I must admit, though, that at times I have had a hard time maintaining a is as demonstrable
strong prayer life. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to pray—to the contrary—I just as that of secreting
had a hard time sticking to my good intentions. It seemed that whenever I’d glands. Its results
try to pray, thoughts would flood my mind and I would quickly find myself can be measured in
embroiled in other things. terms of increased
I finally decided that I had to get to the core of the matter. Why was I having buoyancy, greater
such a hard time? Was it laziness, a lack of motivation, or difficulty concentrat- intellectual vigor,
ing? It finally dawned on me that it was because praying seems like inaction. I moral stamina and a
knew in theory that prayer was essential to a Christian life, but in practice, I just deeper understanding
didn’t feel it. I’m an action-oriented person, and praying simply didn’t make me of human relationships.
feel like I was doing anything substantial. Only in prayer do we
So I had to change my attitude and see things in a different light. For me, achieve that complete
that meant that when I was praying for a sick child, I imagined that I was harmonious assembly
actually there, cooling that fevered brow. When I prayed for peace in Africa, I of mind, body and
pictured myself in the midst of the fighting, begging for it to stop. Visualizing spirit which gives the
my prayers helped them to come alive. It helped me feel more involved, as if I frail human need its
was “doing” something. unshakable strength.
I’ve also found it helpful to start a file where I keep track of the people and When we pray we
situations I pray for, arranged by topic. I regularly add prayer requests that I link ourselves with
hear about, promises from the Bible that apply, updates, etc., and I keep track of the inexhaustible
which prayers have been answered. motive that spins the
universe.—Dr. Alexis
Ariana Andreassen is a member of the Family International in Thailand. ■ Carrel (1873–1944)

13
SAVED FROM
God Knows What By Joyce Suttin

Prayer power has “Grandma, why do you always pray before you drive?”
The question came from my eight-year-old grandson. He and I had
never been tried to been vacationing at the beach with his uncle and cousins, and we were
about to start the five-hour drive home in the rain. My two grandsons,
its full capacity. If we who are about the same age and had become inseparable, were
traveling with me.
want to see mighty “Driving is the scariest thing I do,” I told him. “I wouldn’t think of
driving without praying. I might forget to pray before I cook a meal or
wonders of divine write a letter or go for a walk, but I never forget to pray before I drive
my car. I really depend on Jesus to protect me and my passengers. You
power and grace just never know what might happen.”
Our trip was going well and we were making good time, despite
wrought in the place the rain. Then, only two miles from home, someone pulled onto the
highway immediately in front of us. The driver was going too fast on
of weakness, failure the rain-slicked roads and lost control of the car, which spun around
twice. The scene seemed surreal, like something out of a movie, and I
and disappointment, only had time to breathe a silent prayer, flip on my emergency flashers
to warn the cars behind me, and brake as forcefully as I could without
let us answer God’s causing an accident myself. The spinning car came to a halt perpen-
dicular to the traffic, half on the highway and half off. I was upon it in
standing challenge, a second or two, and just managed to steer clear of it by inches.
“Boys, did you see that?” I asked when I could breathe again.
“Call to Me, and I will “Yes, Grandma,” one of the boys answered. “We could have had a
really bad accident! But I know why we didn’t—because you prayed.”
answer you.”1 I think Jesus sometimes lets us see the trouble He spares us from to
remind us that He’s with us every moment, watching over and protect-
—Hudson Taylor  ing us in answer to our prayers. And heaven only knows what troubles
He saves us from that we don’t see, whether behind the wheel or all
(1832–1905) through life. What a wonderful companion, friend, and protector we
have in Jesus!

Joyce S uttin is a member of the Family I nternational in the U.S. ■

1. Jeremiah 33:3

14
A QUIET PLACE FEEDING READING

Notable prayers in the Bible

Old Testament:
A spiritua l e x ercise
Moses’ at the burning bush—
This exercise may seem more practical than spiritual, but it is a
Exodus 3:1–4:18
key to spiritual health and growth.
If there is a quiet, clutter-free space in your home to which you Job’s confession of God’s
can retreat for moments of prayer or quiet reflection, or if you greatness—Job 42:1–6
live in a moderate climate where you can sit outside in the quiet
Hannah prays for a child—
comfort of nature, you have a head start. The average home today
1 Samuel 1:10–11—and praises
is a hub of activity and noise, so finding a spot to spend a few
God when He answers—1 Samuel
peaceful minutes is a major challenge. Many people simply resign
2:1–10
themselves to that situation, but it takes a toll on their spirit. In
such an atmosphere it is easy to develop a dullness to the voice of David’s prayer for forgiveness—
God, because all that noise and confusion drowns Him out. But Psalm 51
if you can escape to a quiet, peaceful setting on a regular basis and
Solomon’s prayer for wisdom—
you use that time to connect with God, you will find your spiritual
1 Kings 3:6–9
senses becoming sharper.
You may not be able to soundproof a room, but try at least to Elijah’s prayer at Mount
find a corner that you can designate your “quiet place,” where Carmel—1 Kings 18:36–39
you can read, pray, and reflect with little or no disturbance. Make
Hezekiah prays for deliverance
it comfortable, have good light for reading, and stock it with a
—2 Kings 19:15–19
Bible, other devotional materials, and a notebook and pen for
writing down points that come to you in your times of prayer and Hezekiah’s prayer when sick—
meditation. Isaiah 38:2–5
Find the best time in your daily routine to retreat to your Habakkuk’s prayer of worship
quiet place, and make it a habit. Turn off your phone, and begin and rejoicing—Habakkuk 3:2–19
your quiet time by putting your problems and concerns in God’s
capable, loving hands. Enter into God’s presence. Jonah praying in the belly of the
whale—Jonah 2:2–9
“When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut
your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your New Testament:
Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”—Matthew 6:6 The Lord’s Prayer—Matthew
6:9–13
A sinner repents—Luke 18:13

The most important prayer... Jesus’ prayer for His disciples—

...that you or anyone else can ever pray—the key to John 17
happiness here and now, and eternal life in heaven: Jesus’ prayer on the cross—Luke
23:34
Dear Jesus, thank You for dying for me. I now open the
door to my heart and ask You to please come into my life Some of Paul’s prayers—
and give me Your gift of eternal life. Amen. Ephesians 1:15–23; 3:14–21;
Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians
1:9–12

15
 I T H LOVE
JES U SW
FROM

I am here
to help
I know all about you—your gifts, your talents, your strengths. I also know your weaknesses, your
idiosyncrasies, and all the funny things about you that make you an individual. I know about the
nagging problems that you can’t seem to overcome and all the things about yourself that bother
you. I know your heart’s desires and secret longings. There is nothing hidden from Me.
I care about each of your disappointments and heartbreaks. I care about how you feel. I care
about what you think. I care about the difficulties and hardships that you face. I care about your
health. I care about your material needs. I care about your spiritual struggles. There is not one
detail of your life that does not concern Me, and I am here to help.
Every time you look up to Me, I am there. I hear your prayers, and My heart is moved with
compassion. I never get tired of listening to you. I am never distant. I am never too tired or too
busy for you. I never turn away. I never sleep. I never hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on My door.
I always hear and answer your prayers. Sometimes I don’t answer in the way you ask Me to or
think I should, and sometimes you don’t see the answer immediately, but I always hear and I
always answer.