God answers prayers.
I have been a witness to God answering massive prayers, where I have prayed for days and days. I can also say he has blessed me by answering tiny prayers as well.
One thing you may not know about me is that I have anxiety. This can range from worrying about something upcoming to worrying right when it is happening to worrying after it has already happened while playing it over and over in my head. I have known my whole life that I was anxious, as my stomach plays a large role in that.
I used to just get a fluttery stomach when I was very young when I worried about things. Some of the topics that could get me worked up were death, moving, change. To be completely honest, those three words still scare me some, but thanks to years of prayer about them, not as much. When I began really liking boys and dating, my stomach continued to accompany my anxiety, as I threw up on every date. Yes, I know this is peculiar and gross, but the gentlemen were always very nice about it. I just got so nervous, and we would eat dinner every time. Maybe I needed a date where I didn't eat. Nevertheless, I never threw up when dating Jason, so I married him. Now, when I worry about things, my stomach continues to feel ill at ease, but I can usually maintain it.
The only way for me to get through my anxiety and worry is to pray. I pray and talk to God all during my worrisome times, and He is there to remind me that He has got it all under control. I ask for Him to fix situations or provide peace about them. I have found the best method is to return to the person I had the conversation with and work through my thoughts (if I am worrying after a conversation or before one), or I can ask as many questions as I can think of that need to be answered, and when they are all answered, and I have validated my decision, I can let it go (this is when I am trying to make a decision).
Today, I had one of those days that included anxiety. Jason and I had decided to go look at a GMC Acadia to see if we were interested in buying it. Long story short, we had a 2009, and it fell apart and cost us a vacation. Would we put ourselves in that situation again with this newer version with good reviews?
We traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Just entering a car lot can be intimidating, but I knew we did not have to leave with a car, as we were not stuck in a situation but just looking for the future. Going through the motions, we both drove the vehicle, and there were things we liked about it. However, we did ask if we could see another vehicle similar to the Acadia. Our helpful salesperson offered the Toyota Highlander as an option. Through my research, this was one we had been considering. Again, we drove the vehicle, and it did not seem to have as many gadgets but it was bigger, cleaner, newer and in better condition. The next steps include waiting to see how the financing works out. My anxiety did not enter until we had to decide which payment type we wanted. Committing to hundreds of dollars a month and to years of this payment is when it entered. I get so frustrated that a car that costs $2,000 ends up costing $7,000 due to interest. Jason and I talked and talked, and we just weren't settled with our options. The guy returns looking for one more, and then, we can finally get on board. Meanwhile, my stomach has gone from being okay to not being okay and back and forth. I never know if I know all the questions to ask, and I question whether we should make big purchases. We lived for several years spread so thin, so even though we have more money coming in, I get nervous. Finally, after the four hours of going through the motions, we did decide to buy the Toyota Highlander.
God answers prayers. We paid no money down, and we are in a payment that we believe we can afford with guarantees to fix the car if it breaks down. We are blessed with a vehicle that our family can enjoy, and we are able to take other children to church and to activities where they can have fun. We can go on a vacation in a spacious environment. God got me through my anxiety, helped us make a solid decision, and He got us home safely (I had to drive in the dark with horrible construction in a place I have never driven - yes, more anxiety).
Thank you, God, for everything you do every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment