The following story was written by my friend, Brandy, who lives on the other side of the country from me.  It's an amazing thing to see the hand of God at work.  I don't know why He sometimes shows His hand and at other times stays completely hidden. But it's important for us to remember and share the times when He does show His hand so we will continue with courage and hope thruough difficult times.  This story sure did give me courage. I hope it will give you courage as well.

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Shurleen’s God Story from OHIO

Shurleen, bless her heart has been praying for me through some junk this week/past week.  Thank you for that BTW.

So the story begins……..

I have prayed for Peter and Shurleen’s family for a L O N G time. I know that I believe in my heart that Peter has a HUGE part to play in the Lord’s Kingdom. It will be a battle, but I know the Lord has plans for Peter.

I had called Shurleen a few weeks back and let her know I was praying for her, Tim and Peter and that I felt a HUGE burden to call her and tell her that the Lord laid on my heart that they were doing the right thing.

Well, my house was in utter chaos. The noise level was at a climatic high since it was bed time here on the east coast. Matt was on duty and I had no one to help calm the Gleason masses. The urging was deep and so I called. The house was suddenly silent and well, Shurleen and I were able to talk and make sense of what we were saying without yelling at anyone in our households. It was incredible!

I have continued to lift up this situation and then about 5 days ago or so Shurleen called me and said, “Let’s pray together.” So we were one with the Spirit thousands of miles apart.

I felt rejuvenate and Shurleen I tell you the Lord is continuing to do a mighty work here.  Thank you Jesus!

The day after we prayed I was running around doing errands and I stopped at Good Steward Books. I saw a lady from church that I just talked to for the first time in my 2 years of my going there, 2 Sundays ago.

I said, “Hi Katy!” She said, “Hi, Brandy” and we were just fellowshipping in the parking lot. The conversation heads into how the Lord is so awesome and answers our prayers and needs in such awesome ways.

I was just praising the Lord. I said to her, “Just last night a friend and I prayed over the phone about some of our issues and how it was just a wonderful and sweet time of prayer.”

I then said, “My friend is in the midst of a disrupted adoption.” She said, “Really, I am sorry to hear this (Katy has adopted 2 children) I have read a book and I never knew why I read the chapter on disrupted adoptions but I think it must be for your friend. The book is called, Raising Adopted Children.”

I said, “Thank you! I will tell her. She is missing Peter and feeling very saddened.”

Katy got this amazed look on her face and said, “You know I had this dream last night and I don’t know why, but I told my husband and daughters about it. In my dream I was grieving for this adopted child and his family. I mean, just weeping and crying for them and praying for them. I know this dream did not mean I was to adopt anymore children, but it was for someone else.”

I still had not made the connection.

I nodded politely.

She said, “The thing is this boys name was Peter.”

OK now the Lord has my attention. “REALLY?!?!” I said.

She asked me, “Was this boy older like 7 or 8.”

“Yes.” I said, “He is.”

She has this far away look and then says, “Well, in my dream this little boys name is Peter and he is 7ish and he was a little black boy.”

By this point I am just PRAISING GOD! I said, “YOU ARE KIDDING ME!”

She says, “No I am not kidding. This was so vivid and I wondered WHY I was praying and crying in my dream. I now know. I was praying for this family and the boy Peter.”

It was AMAZING! Here was this woman I had not met until 2 weeks ago and if I had not spoken to her I would have never said much more than hi in passing this day. YET God in his providence PREORDAINED this meeting!

It reaffirms to me that God hears and calls His saints to pray even when we don’t know why or who we are praying for!

I, of course, called Shurleen as soon as I could and related this to her! WITH tears of joy and praise to the Lord!

BTW Shurleen. I can affirm her credibility to you today even more. In Sunday School this am someone said, “When I need prayer I call Katy Franke. She is a true prayer warrior for the Lord.”