“Cornelius, your prayer has been heard”

Acts 10:31a

I have to share a tremendous blessing I experienced recently. About a week and a half ago, I witnessed two of my nieces, Hannah and Bethany, be baptized into Christ by their father. As a minister, I don’t get to stand back and watch someone’s baptism as I am often administering it. Having been there to witness the day that they were born into our world and now born again was very special. I’m so proud of them for their faith. I’m also extremely proud of my brother in law, Lowell. He and I have been close since we were teenagers.

When we first met, we didn’t like each other very much. He was dating my sister, and I was that annoying kid brother. It didn’t take long before I liked him more than my sister, ha-ha. Back in those days, Lowell had not yet confessed his faith in Christ. He struggled with doubts about God and had some bad experiences with church. He started coming to church with my family and I while in High School. I don’t know how many prayers we lifted up for Lowell on his faith journey. He had Bible studies with my parents, but still it was three years before he surrendered his heart in faith to Christ. Not long after that his younger sister was baptized. Those years were filled with great joy as we experienced God transforming all of our lives through faith in Jesus Christ.

Our joys quickly turned to sorrow in 1999 when we experienced several tragic losses. James (my wife’s first husband) died from cancer, my mother was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer, and Lowell’s younger sister, Lyn, died in a car accident. She was on her way to church when it happened. It felt like our worlds were caving in. To say that our faith was shaken would be a grave understatement. Having experienced all of these traumas one month after another, we were afraid of what might happen next. My sister and Lowell were expecting their first child when all this happened. We were in constant prayer about the future.

When Hannah was born, it was the first sense of hope that we had felt in a long time. I remember seeing Heather (recently widowed at that time) holding Hannah with tears of joy. God had not abandoned us. He had received all of our prayers during our trials and was weaving our lives together in ways we never thought possible. God would go on to bless our families with new life and hope.

When I watched Lowell baptize Hannah and Bethany I saw the reminder that God listens. In the darkest nights when we feel lost and helpless, He never leaves us. God is good and God is working even in the midst of pain. He hears your prayers and He will answer. He is beautiful and His ways are wonderful.

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