Welcome!

I've decided to make the leap, and I hope I like it! As much as I've enjoyed my Xanga account over the past 5 years, it's time for something new. Of course, I know I'll go back and read my old entries. I do that often because I'm better at blogging than writing in my journal. It's fun to read where life has taken me. I needed more options. Xanga has pretty much always been the same and I've been wanting new features. I love that I can post all of the blogs that I read in the sidebar now. It should be easy for all of you to leave comments as well...so all you lurkers can leave me comments! I won't have much time until after our trip to Chicago to figure out more fun features, but stay tuned.

I wanted to share this story with you. There are many times in my life that I struggle with my relationship with God. I tend to get into the mindset that I can do things on my own. Prayer lacks at times as well. I know prayers don't have to be fancy and yet I always feel like if I'm going to pray I need to cover all my bases. We talked in Sunday School one day about how it doesn't matter. A prayer is a prayer. It can be long and detailed or it can just be something as simple as, "God give me patience." I'm trying to remember that, but last night I had one of those short prayer experiences and it was answered.

I was watching TV last night and during commercials I was flipping channels. I stopped on NBC for a moment. We actually get 2 NBC's. One based out of Illinois and the other out of St. Louis. I stopped on the St. Louis station. There was an Amber Alert running across the bottom of the screen. I honestly didn't really read it and flipped back to my show. The next commercial break I landed on that station again. This time I read it and they broke in with news about it. This little girl about 4 or 5 was kidnapped from her yard by some man. I had the strongest feeling of urgency come over me and a voice inside of me was saying, "You need to pray for that little girl RIGHT NOW." I mean the thought literally brought me to tears and I was crying as I prayed right out loud, "God, be with that little girl and protect her." She would pop into my thoughts all night long.

It seems like there is never a good ending to these stories. She had already been missing for almost 24 hours. This morning I turned on the radio at work and the first thing I heard was that the little girl had been found alive and unharmed. The man dropped her off at a car wash 70 miles from her home and took off.

I'm not saying that my prayers alone saved that little girl, but it was one of those moments where I realized how powerful prayer can be and I'm so thankful that there was a happy ending.

Now hopefully I can remember that no matter how long or short my prayers are, God will hear them.