Prayer Just Might Smell Like Diapers

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This post is going up later today than I anticipated. You see, I bought a couple books on Saturday, one of them is “The Circlemaker” by Mark Batterson and instead of writing last night, I started reading it. I’d heard so much about this book that it seemed that God was practically screaming at me to get it (yes, I really believe He does that when we’re hard of hearing.). Upon obedience, I immediately knew why. I’m only in the third chapter, but my oh my. If you haven’t heard of it or read it, I can’t even wait til chapter 4 to tell you that you really should. This book might just become my new favorite book I’ve read this year. The jury is out yet. 😉

And just to give you a bit of encouragement on prayer today, and perhaps a little incentive to read the ebook, :), I’m including an excerpt from the book that so many readers have mentioned to me. It’s the kind of prayer story that makes you realize God cares about every little thing in our lives… even diapers.

….God is the One who held the authority over Hannah’s mind and body.

Who is in control of that situation that is sending you over the edge?   Who knows every hair on your head and every fiber of your being? (Matt. 10:30)   When we allow any physical or mental issues to bring us to the point of complete and utter depression, fear or worry, then we essentially are saying, “I’m trying to control this, but I can’t.”

We may not be able to visualize a solution to our problem.

But the God of the Universe is bigger than any problem, visible or intangible.

Three years ago, around February 2009, I was pregnant with our sweet Tarah and my belly was growing each day. With that growth, and the glorious winter weather we have here in Ohio (Oh, yes. So many overcast, ugly gray days you just can’t keep up.), the worry over finances began to loom over me. Oh, but it wasn’t just a financial thing.

The Devil kept bringing up diapers. What?! Well, with having 7 children, my husband and I have transitioned multiple times over in regards to caring for their needs. But there was a period of years that we had three children in diapers at the same time.   Fun.    My mind just kept thinking about that period of time and how expensive it was to keep up. Really, I worked myself into a frenzy over diapers, sometimes a couple times a day.

Then I became convicted. I Peter 5:7 was waving at me and started shouting my name.

“Casting all your care (anxiety or worry) on Him, for He cares for you.”

So I began to pray each and every single time the thought of diapers and their expense rose to the surface of my mind. ”Lord, I know Your Word says You are my Provider. Please take this worry over diapers and give me victory in Your Promises.” I continued this prayer for a few months. Sometimes just one time in a day; often it was multiple times throughout the day.

One morning, the week before I was due to deliver Sweet T, I was standing in the kitchen, washing dishes, when my husband came in from work. He worked nightshift in the emergency room at the time and so the time was a little later than he typically comes home, but I thought he got hung up saving someone’s life.   Literally.    However, he went into the living room and then back out to his car. Then into the living room and back out to his car again. I made the circle around from the kitchen, just in time to see him coming through the garage door a third time, arms full of baby bags. On the couch were stacks of diapers.    And wipes.    And some other gifts.    21 packages of diapers in all, all different sizes. ”Honey, my co-workers gave us a diaper shower last night.”

I’ve never heard of a man receiving a baby shower from his co-workers.

Isn’t it amazing how God works? I hadn’t prayed for diapers specifically; all I requested was that God would give me the strength not to worry over something so trivial. Even though it seemed like a big deal.

The story gets better. That same day about 1 pm, the doorbell rang. I went to answer the door and saw the UPS man, who had cases of something stacked on his dolly. As he arrived on the porch, I realized the cases were…you guessed it! Diapers! My sister, Sharon, had felt impressed by the Lord to send diapers to me and so she went online to Sam’s Club and had them sent directly to my house.

We didn’t buy diapers for Tarah until she was 15 months old.

Why am I telling you this? Because God answers prayer in His own way.

Even when the request is something as silly as: “Lord, please take away my worry over diapers.”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall bring it to pass.”  Prov. 3:5&6

Prayer just might smell like….diapers.  Thankfully, unused.