This is God, Showing Off
Scripture tells us that God can do “immeasurably more” than a person can ask or even imagine.
Get this: Sometimes, if God really feels like showing off, He might do even more than that. He might do the exact thing you said was downright impossible, even laughable.
That’s the way it went down here on our Iowa farm this past week.
Last week, we mentioned that we are taking our whole family to Haiti in January.
Today, while reminiscing about my first trip to Haiti in March 2012, I scrolled through my Haiti photos and videos. And my jaw dropped when I found this video, taken at the home of Claudel, a young Haitian man whom we support as he finishes high school. I spent the afternoon with Claudel and his brother, who is translating in the video. And he spoke these words ….
Check it out: (Email subscribers can click here to watch.)
I’m holding the camera in that video. And I remember it all with startling clarity. I remember how, in that moment when Claudel said our whole family would come to Haiti in 2013, I smiled politely, but knew for sure that would never happen. Nope. Maybe in 2020. But not in 2013.
But behold, the tickets have been bought, the girls’ passports are being reviewed by a federal agency, and we are headed to Haiti in January 2013. We will help build a playground, but we will also make a trip up north to have that party that Claudel wants to have in his tiny, “beautiful” house — no bigger than my laundry room.
I look back on that video and see the faint lines of a God-incidence forming, one that I didn’t see the first time around.
So much of life is like that, you know? We often don’t see the answered prayer or the hope realized until we’re standing in the middle of its very reality.
It’s not always like that, of course. Sometimes, we can pray so hard that tears stream down our faces, buried in the bed-pillows. We might want to ask, “Where is my God-incidence now?” True enough, we might pray fervently, yet we don’t get the thrill of a video a few months later. We might have to wait years to put all the pieces together. We might even have to wait all the way until we get a viewing screen in Heaven to make sense of any of it.
But when it does happen here-below, when God does surprise me with these sweet gifts wrapped in love, all I can do is lift my hands and lift my voice and whisper up to Heaven: “Thank you, Father, for doing the most remarkable things, in spite of my very unremarkable faith.”
(A photo of Claudel’s home. I have a feeling we’re going to raise the roof when we party here in January.)
We write in community every Wednesday about the God-Things that make you go, “Hmmm…”
Some call them coincidences. We call them God-incidences. And those goosebumps you get sometimes when you know the Holy Spirit is at work? Yep. They’re God-Bumps.
Want to join the chorus of words for our God? Pick either button above, attach it to your post, tell your story.
Oh my…this is so wonderful…I can’t imagine how your heart leapt when you found this…this might be a capstone to all the God-bumps…incidences… so looking forward to getting to follow you all to Haiti. rejoicing with you my friend~
His prophetic word, spoken with such innocence, has come true. Makes you wonder, what’s next?
what a story. makes us feel so small when we see evidence of the Greater at work.
excited for you and your kids!!
Hi Jennifer, I have been linking up on your bloghop for a little while now and thoroughly enjoy it. I would love for you to add your bloghop to my bloghop list on my page so others can find you there too. Its about halfway down on the right-hand side and works like a linky too. Look forward to seeing you there
God bless
Tracy
Wow! How amazing is our God! Like Moses, you are radiating His glory today:)
WOW I do believe he has the gift of prophecy! This is how God does things!!! Awesome.
WOW Jennifer! Just WOW! What beautiful young men…so happy and blessed in their “beautiful house that God gave them!” Can’t wait to hear all about the party you’ll have there with them. God is so into these ‘suprise moments’ He gives us along the way. I see Him smiling, delighted, to bring this ‘prophecy’ to life. To give this good gift to you and your family. This is so uplifting and encouraging! Thank you, Jennifer.
What a wonderful story of prophetic word being fulfilled. We should all take the time to record these fulfillments as you have done.
Blessings to you and thanks for the link up.
EvieJo
That day, you will be happy, too. You & yours.
Scott went before you, right?
Yes, Megan. Scott went in November of 2011. We’ll be returning to the same area in which I served. Scott had done some work about six hours from Port-au-Prince.
“Thank you, Father, for doing the most remarkable things, in spite of my very unremarkable faith.”
YES! This is so true. I often feel like I am the Centurion “I believe, help me in my unbelief”.
We prayed for my mother in law for 10 years and she came to know Him who loves her so. We prayed for my Gramma for over 25 years and she came to know Him at 85+ years old. he is ever faithful and hears us. it is hard to wait on Him…thank you for helping me recall these moments of sticking with prayer and having Him answer in His time.
AWESOME! Brought tears to my eyes…yes, God is truly remarkable…and sometimes we get to see right away, and sometimes not, but either way, we give glory to God…Thanks for sharing, Jennifer 🙂
Well that’s pretty darn cool, Jennifer!
Raining tears here as I rejoice with you! This is so much like Him, showing off indeed for the glory of His name.
Praise God that He answers our prayers exceeding abundantly beyond whatever we could ask or imagine! Thanks for the great post & for hosting, & God bless!
Chills!! I love hearing God stories like this! Thank you for sharing how God is working in your life.
Woot Woot Woot!!!!!!!!!!!! That is so awesome…..one of our Lord’s mysterious ways 🙂 Take lots of pics so we can relive the party with you….
Just goes to show…once again…how God is up to much bigger things than we can imagine! I wish I would learn that for good and think much bigger about Him! Blessings…
Pardon me for being more emotional than usual today, jennifer, lots going on…. I just watched the video and I got total goose-bumps — God-bumps – all down my arms and God-flutters in my heart. Tears ran down my cheeks as Claudel …well basically…prophesied that you’d all be visiting him next year. Wow! He said it with such calm assurance, too. Simply amazing. I very much appreciate what you wrote about how other people’s God-incidences might not come in the form of a video or even within one year, two years, or three. There are prayers I cry into my pillow and, admittedly, sometimes I wonder if any of it will be redeemed or brought to the light. But this has helped me this day. Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart. I can’t wait for your time there because I know that because you love us, your readers, so much, you will bring us along so we can party, too!!! 🙂
big hugs!
God is so amazing and so full of wonderful surprises! I am very excited for you and your family 🙂
OH, how this story gives me hope.. spurs me on to believe He is weaving threads I can’t see to string together all those impossibilities that I barely dare to believe Him for. Love the way your girls are learning to walk by faith and see His faithfulness. Praying for you all as you anticipate your Jan trip 🙂
Wow…just wow.
Amazing! Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God is blessing you and your family for your obedience and your servant’s heart. I love it when there is no way to deny His handiwork. Have a wonderful trip and party!
Your incredible, inspiring story has me thinking: Would remarkable events (i.e. Claudel’s prohpecy coming true so soon) grab our attention if we had perfect faith? Or would perfect faith interfere with the wonder effect? I, for one, love to be surprised when God does immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.
I so delighted for you and your family Jennifer! I hope there is some way that we can get a glimpse of the party that you and your family celebrate with Claudel in January. It would be so beautiful to see the culmination of this God-incidence. 😀