Power of Prayer

“Over the past 15 years, prayer has received increased attention in connection with marriage.  A qualitative study . . . produced several findings that were substantiated and supported in a quantitative follow-up study with 217 religious spouses.  These finding included participants’ statements of belief that prayer enhanced experiences of emotional validation; promoted accountability toward deity; de-escalated negative interactions, contempt, hostility, and emotional reactivity; enhanced relationship behavior; facilitated partner empathy; increased self-change focus; encouraged reconciliation and problem-solving; and promoted a sense of guidance from God.”

Isn’t it so great when research backs up gospel teachings?  This is a quote from Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives.  

You all know that we were pretty diligent in our family prayers while you were growing up.  Dad and I came from homes where this practice was also consistent.  This is a powerful legacy of which to be a part. 

We’ve had many answered prayers in our family.  What are some of your favorites?

I remember one spring feeling concern about the summer jobs needed by our boys so they could earn money for their missions.  It seemed jobs were scarce that year in Post Falls and Coeur d’ Alene.  I think maybe Joshua was the oldest at home at the time.  We decided to have a family fast and pray for summer work.  All the boys, Joshua, John and Jared had work that summer.  I think that’s the timeline, because I remember later, in early summer, that Loryn Seidl felt so discouraged that he couldn’t find any work, and I felt so grateful that our boys were working.  (Mostly so they could earn money for their missions and partly so they had a productive, engaging and busy summer.) .  Loryn is John’s age and so I think it was after Joseph was already on his mission.

I remember praying about a home in Frenchtown/Huson.  We did find one up Touchette lane, not far from where Marie Evans lived, if you remember that area at all.  But there was a difficulty with the well and even though we had earnest money and a date to close on, we were blessed to get out of it because the well didn’t meet the requirements of our loan.  This turned out to be a huge blessing.  The house we did get was so right for us.  The location, the water (that well was very abundant), the yard, and then the resale 10 years later, all fell into place.  It seemed like an obstacle when the first house fell through, but what a blessing to have it work out the way it did.  Heavenly Father knows.

That’s similar to what happened with Dad’s office here.  When we found out the location had to be in Idaho, we cancelled the location in Afton, and found the one in Freedom.  But at first we felt like an obstacle had come.  Really it was God providing something even better than we could imagine.  Dad loves his office. 

I feel like I need to keep better track of all the prayers that are answered.  Really every week we have prayers answered. 

In July before we knew for sure that Esther had decided to go on a mission, or even at the time we didn’t know she had already submitted her papers, Dad, James and I fasted without Esther knowing, and prayed for her future.  We prayed that she would be guided and if that included serving a mission, that she would have strength.  You all know how that worked out.  And now it’s so wonderful to hear from her every week and feel so blessed by her decision to serve.

I’m going forward with fasting and prayers this week for my workshop.  It seems like another obstacle that I couldn’t give it last week when I originally planned.  I misunderstood the assignment.  I submitted my lesson plan and then received feedback about what should be corrected.  I didn’t understand that I needed to re-submit it again three days prior to teaching so that whatever corrections I had made could once more be reviewed.  This is in order to make sure that what I’m teaching as a representative of BYU-Idaho is in order with their standards and keeps me and my instructor safe from any legal issues.  I was scrambling to complete it, pressuring my instructor to rush it, and then after prayer I felt I should talk to Dad about it all.  He suggested that I not try and force it.  My grade would have been docked, plus it wasn’t really fair to my instructor for my lack of misunderstanding the assignment.  As soon as I made the decision to wait a week, a huge weight fell off my shoulders.   

Since then I’ve felt guided in many ways.  I completed the lesson plan with less stress and some inspired additions and corrections.  The two locations I reserved were able to easily change to the following week.  I changed my facebook advertising.  I made grocery bag stuffers for Broulims, as offered by a manager.  Laurie Arnold created a radio ad for me.  I’ll try to attach it here.  Anyway, I feel there have been many silver linings.

Since I wrote above, we’ve learned of Esther’s car accident.  As I was praying and thinking about her, I felt that it is once again something that looks awful but will have a good outcome.  How thankful I am that the Lord give us beauty for ashes. 

We love you all very much!

Mom and Dad