Answers to Prayers ~ FAITH

The most wonderful thing happened to me yesterday...

Recently I studied the advice given in James 1:5 and the following verses. These verses have been on my mind since. I have thought of them over and over again.

Yesterday I prayed more effectively as a result of what I learned in these few verses. I experienced a simple but very powerful exchange of communication with the lord. In answer to questions I asked the Lord, one sentence telling me to read from a particular scripture book clearly entered into my heart and mind. I knew the Lord was answering me. I ran to my scriptures to obey the counsel given, and opened the book; everything I prayed to know - was right there! I couldn't help crying; emotions flooded over me as the spirit  testified to me that the Lord was answering my prayer through these scriptures.

He hears and answers prayers! :D

He is so real!

And He really loves me... :)

I wonder how often He stands at the door as each of us struggle with questions - just waiting to answer, if only we would knock...


October 26, 2011 - UPDATE: I desire to remember this lesson which I learned that day, so write it here for safe keeping... :)

I realized that I needed to pray with total and complete faith; and not only that, when doing something and praying for the lord to bless that activity, I need to pray with total faith that he will bless it. I need to DO that activity with total strength, with NO HESITANCE (which comes from fear or lack of faith that it may not be worth the time); the lord will give us what we ask and work for only when we do it in faith. It isn't harsh. This is one of the lessons we came to earth to learn... to live by faith. Faith is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because He loves us, God steps back when we lack faith in order to let us learn this principle. This is the way the power of faith works. He wants us to know this so we will ask and work in faith, and be blessed. :)

I came upon another blog (Scriptorium Blogorium) which talks about a scripture about prayer; it is awesome! Here is the link:http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2011/10/and-not-faint.html

I'm going to quote part of (it's just too good; I'm copying and pasting ALL of it) her post here for me to remember... :) Her blog is in grey...

"'But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint… (2 Nephi 32:9)'

"Recently I was struck by that part “and not faint” in Nephi’s words about how we should pray. It made me wonder if he meant “pray always and don’t lose consciousness” as we so often read it to mean. Yet who really faints while praying? It seemed too silly (unless he knew about all of us who tend to drift off to sleep while we’re praying…). But if he meant those of us who fall asleep while praying, he would have said "pray always and not sleep." So I suspected maybe Nephi meant “pray always and not faintly. That made a lot more sense. I decided to look up in the dictionary what “faint” meant besides "losing consciousness." Here’s what I found:

• Deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity, brightness or loudness
• Lacking clarity or distinctness
• Lacking strength or vigor
• Indistinctly understood, felt, or perceived
• Lacking conviction, boldness, or courage

It seems that Nephi is telling us to pray distinctly, clearly, vigorously, with understanding and feeling, and with conviction, boldness, and courage. No limp-wristed, namby-pamby prayers for us.

I don’t know about you, but this scripture really helped me. I think I had gotten in a habit of faintly praying, and this was a jolt back in the right direction. I’ve noticed that when I pray with more distinctness and clarity, I perceive better how the Lord answers my prayers. Have you seen this?"

I am so excited to have found this!!! Thank you