I have had experience with all of these answers.
The most recent time I was told "yes" was when I got my new job. The previous job I held was great and I worked with a lot of wonderful people. However, I was gone all the time. I was a District Manager for apartments and I had 15 complexes all over Kansas and one in Missouri. I spent so many nights in a hotel room and so much time stressing about things I couldn't control. My marriage was suffering because there were times that my husband needed me and I just couldn't be there. I started looking for local jobs with the understanding that it may take a long time to find something. I started praying for God to open doors. Within a few weeks I had a few interviews. There was a job that I was interested in and they really liked what I had to offer. However, I would have had to take a large pay cut if I took the job. Then I got a call from someone looking for a Property Manager. I wasn't very hopeful because I assumed that he wouldn't be able to match the salary of someone who managed 15 properties. However, I decided to see what he had to say. There were very specific skill sets that I had that he needed for a property that he had just purchased. He needed someone with rehab experience, Tax Credit experience, and someone who was self-motivated. Because of the large project he had just purchased, he was willing to pay more for the right person. I remember driving home from the interview and a thought entered my mind.
James 4:2 "You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it."
Then I asked God to give me the job. My prayer went something like this, "God, I want this job. Please give me this job so I can be home more." The job was offered to me within a week. I am so thankful that God answered that prayer for me! I love that I can be home every night to eat dinner with my husband. And because my stress level has decreased significantly, I can be there for him when he needs me emotionally.
The biggest "No" I have received happened almost 3 years ago. It was a warm Saturday afternoon on July 11, 2009. I was working at an apartment complex that I was a Property Manager for when I got the phone call that would rock my world. My mom, hysterically crying, tried explaining to me that her husband of over 15 years was just in a motorcycle accident. She was in the vehicle of one of the first responders following my step-dad in an ambulance on their way to the hospital. I could barely understand her words as she tried explaining what had happened. I told her that I was on my way to her and asked what hospital she was in. Since she and my step-dad lived in Northwest Arkansas, it would take over 4 hours to get there. I got off the phone and closed the office. I called my sister, who lived in Kansas City, and she said she was also on her way to Arkansas. By the time I got home, we had some friends there to pick up our dogs and my husband had packed up some clothes. He left to get some gas while I finished packing. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I just knew that God could save my step-dad! While I was packing I got a call from my mom saying that my step-dad had died. My heart sank and all I could say was, "NO!" The car ride to Arkansas was a blur. I just knew that I needed to be there for my mom, who just became a widow.
I still don't know why God chose to take my step-dad that day. I don't know why he decided to say "No" to that prayer. I place my faith in Him and trust that He knows what He is doing. I also trust that I will see my step-dad again. I will be able to wrap my arms around him and tell him how much he means to me. I miss him more than words can express!
I spoke about my "Wait" on Day 2 of my journal. God has asked me to wait to have children. The wait has been difficult, but I have learned to trust God's timing. I know that God will, one day, bless me with a child and I will be thrilled when that day comes. I am naturally a very impatient person, though. I hate to wait the 25 minutes for brownies to cook in the oven! I would rather have the satisfaction of eating those warm delicious brownies right now! However, if I don't allow the brownies the time to cook they will be cold, gooey, and may even possibly give me salmonella. I guess God is still cooking my brownies. The end result will be sweet and amazing if I am just patient enough! Pastor Hoover gave a great analogy about waiting today. He said that many times God takes something great out of our hands and goes to get something better. However, while He is getting the better thing, we look and only see empty hands. I am going to choose to take a different approach! Have you ever had someone ask you to close your eyes and put out your hands for a surprise? Yes, my hands are empty at the moment. But I am giddy with anticipation of the wonderful surprises that God has for me! I don't know when I will get it, but I know it is coming!
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