God in Answered Prayers
"He opened doors that I wasn’t looking for."
What’s your name, how are you connected with P2C-Students, and what’s a fun fact about you?
My name is Emily MacLaren! I’m a 4th year Psych/English student at Dalhousie in Halifax, NS. I’ve been attending P2C events since my second year at Dal.
A fun fact about me is that I’ve lived in four different provinces!
In this story though, it’s important to know that for the past 10 years I’ve worked at Christian summer camps, and I’ve spent 5 summers to date at my home church’s day camps.
Where have you seen evidence of God recently?
Lately I’ve been praying a lot more in my own life, and with my friends. We’ve asked for big things and small things, and we’ve seen almost all of those prayers answered! He has been answering them specifically and abundantly, in ways we couldn’t have imagined.
For me personally, God has provided an answer to my prayer for summer work. Last summer, I “retired” from summer camps, but in a turn of events, God has me returning in a new way to the job I’ve loved for years, and has provided all of the means for me to do so!
What caused you to recognize God there?
God had been responding to my friends and my prayers in ways we didn’t anticipate. He opened doors that I wasn’t looking for, like returning to camp and for this ministry to expand.
I can see him working to make his ministry more effective, and to teach his people (myself included) to rely on him confidently, humbly, and gratefully.
What difference does Jesus make to this part of life?
Seeing this pattern of answered prayer has made parts of the Bible come to life. Like Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
This season has helped motivate me to pray and thank God continuously. I want to remember what God has done for me because he answers prayers even when I don’t deserve to have my prayers answered.
My trust in the Lord has only deepened as I have been more diligent in expressing where I need him in my life, allowing him to move, and thanking him for it.
How did you respond to God?
Practising gratefulness. When I see God at work, like in answered prayers, I physically stop and acknowledge him in that moment and thank him for his presence and action.
I don’t want to take it for granted who God is and how he works.
How can we pray for you?
Pray that I keep a constant faith and don’t get swayed by circumstances. I know that I can trust that God is with me and cares, but sometimes I seem to forget it.
Also, pray that I continue to be bold in bringing prayers to God. I want him to use me for his purposes and I want to be aware of his goodness, for his glory.
