Have you ever questioned a word or a promise the Lord gave you? Have you ever asked the Lord for a fleece? For confirmation? For clarification? For fulfillment? I know I have. Here are some of the signs and wonders the Lord has sent my way in some of my stretching moments in the past year.
Promise to fulfill the desires of my heart
January 2016 – God promises me that 2016 will be a “get-to-know-you” year, and in 2017, He will give me the desires of my heart. I then see a vision of me at my wedding, meeting my groom in the middle of the aisle, and the desire I offered up at the altar in sacrifice two years ago is now back on the table. I question “How could that be?”
Marriage, marriage, weddings, weddings – everywhere I turn for the first three months of the year. I ask the Lord for confirmation, and He surrounds me with it.
Some months later, when I question whether I heard the wedding promise right – crossing the Congress Street bridge, I hear the Lord say “Look left”, and I see a double rainbow across Town Lake – “I will keep My promise. There will be peace over Austin waters.”
Promise to make me a disciple-maker
Now, the Lord had also instructed me to be open to disciple and assist women. Me? I questioned that I was qualified, but sure enough, the Lord started to bring various women across my path, some for longterm friendships, some for short stays in the house, some in touch by phone or text, and some for just the moment of a conversation or a prayer.
One day, I questioned whether I was really meant to disciple women (after a particularly hard day with a houseguest) – I was sitting on my couch with the blinds open, and I heard the Lord say “look left”, and I see a brilliant double rainbow across my backyard. I stood in awe that this stunning double rainbow followed closely on the heels of the Congress St. bridge double rainbow. I happened to have a meeting minutes after it appeared with a young woman a friend wanted me to mentor – as I drive the short distance to our meeting place, my eyes are fixed on the double rainbow – it felt like it was following me. Upon arrival, I found the mentee, introduced myself, and immediately ushered her outside to share in the rainbow of God’s promise. A blessing for us both!
Promise of comfort and sustained strength
A month or two later after my backyard double rainbow, I fell ill with the flu. I had plans to go to a woman’s fellowship day that next week, and I was praying that I would be strong and well enough to attend – we were joining in for a Priscilla Shirer simulcast that I didn’t want to miss.
While I did make it to the fellowship day, I was still feeling weak and not 100%. I placed myself 2-3 rows behind the ladies attending, and in worship, I called out to the ministering angels to tend to me…and I felt presence to my left and behind me. I was taken aback by this palpable presence, and I asked the Lord for confirmation that the angels were indeed ministering to me while I was sick – I turn my head to the left, and I see a double white light rainbow over a painted picture (a painting not always in the sanctuary) of the angels ministering and rejoicing over Jesus at His birth. My heart lept at this intimate moment between me and the Lord and the angels – no one knew of this exchange, and I did indeed feel well by the end of the day. This was the third double rainbow in a matter of months.
Promise of love and tenderness
Road trips are great for reflection. I find that some of my best conversations with Jesus happen on the open road. On a road trip to a disaster site in Denham Springs, LA, I felt a tug of the enemy, trying to plant the idea that the Lord’s promise to fulfill the desires of my heart were just feelings, not truly a promise that would be fulfilled. I repeated the promise that the Lord had given me back in January 2016, and despite the barrage of attack from the enemy about my looks, my weight, my quirks, my whatever, I just kept repeating “Jesus, You are faithful. Jesus, You are faithful.” It was all I had the mental strength to say. Minutes afterward, on the left side of the car, over the Baton Rouge bridge entering town, lo and behold, a double rainbow high in the sky.
Oh, You are who You say You are, Lord! You shine so much brighter than the sun! And the heavens are on the earth. There is no, not one like You, Lord!!
Promise of provision
Wondering if I was meant to be a missionary and raise my own funds – out of the blue, a woman I’ve met and talked to a handful of times asks if I still need support, and she blesses me with a significant one-time gift, raising my hope and faith that the Lord hears my struggles and answers me with blessings. A week later, I get offers for short-term teaching gigs, providing for me during my period of partnership development.