Pray It Down

Several months ago, in Sunday School, my aunt repeated this phrase: pray it down. It has stuck in my head ever since. And in just a few short months of using her wise advice, I have seen God work.

I have been a wife for just shy of two years. I have been a mommy for ten and a half months. I'm new at this. I don't have it all figured out. Before I married Grant, I lived at home with my family. I had a few bills like car insurance and such, but I didn't pay the water bill, the electric bill, the house note, or the credit card bill. I didn't buy all the groceries for the family. However, now I help Grant in managing our monthly income and paying our bills, and it's up to ME to plan and shop for a month's worth of meals. At first, it sounded easy enough. HA!   It's not....

My husband gets paid once a month so, once a month, I make a big grocery-shopping trip. Before hand, I do some thinking on what meals I plan to cook that are healthy and filling, what ingredients I can buy that can go the greatest length, and I look for various coupons that can be used.

I'm not cheap. I'm just frugal, and I want to be wise with the money that my husband works so hard for. I want to stretch it and bless my family and my husband with how I manage it.
  
That being said, this one particular Sunday, my aunt's phrase of pray it down really struck a chord with me. I had run out of baby fruit for Nathan and I just didn't want to go buy more. Payday was coming up soon. It could wait. I had vegetables and beans but, in my momma-heart, I reeeeeeally wanted my boy to have fruit too.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." I always seem to put my supplications into a priority list for God.

Asking for a new vacuum cleaner isn't as important as asking that He will heal my husband's headache.   
    
Ever do that?
    
But Philippians says otherwise. The Lord CARES about His children; just as I care about my little boy. As joint-heirs with Christ, we have the authority to come before our Heavenly Father and tell him our troubles, our concerns, our dreams, and our needs. He answers every prayer. Sometimes the answer we get isn't what we want, but He does give an answer and He ultimately has our very best in view.

So with that in mind, I went to God and prayed for baby fruit. Trivial as it sounds, I really wanted it for Nathan. So I prayed it down. Less than two days later, CASES (I will repeat, CASES) of baby fruit were on my kitchen floor. So much so that I still have some leftover that I will be giving away!

He is faithful!

It was such a "small" thing. But the Lord honores the fervent prayer of His saints... Yes, even the prayers of a mommy who simply wants baby fruit for her baby or new socks for her kids. So, ladies (and gentlemen too!), do not let your heart be troubled or burdened with your cares. Go to your Father with your needs and pray them down!
      
Psalm 116:1
I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.