Twenty twenty-three is a year of commitments. One thing I have chosen to commit to is intentional prayer. I want to share with y’all a few of the ways I have clearly heard or seen God answer prayer recently.
As you know, this blog is part of my World Race journey so I am gonna tell you about one way God spoke to me as I was in the process of admissions. One night it was late, probably after 11pm or so, and I continuously tossed and turned in bed unable to sleep. All of a sudden “2 Corinthians 1” came to my mind. Knowing it was late I tried to push the thought aside and go back to sleep but it just wasn’t working. I sat up, opened my Bible, read the chapter, then proceeded to go back asleep as I didn’t think it was significant. A few days later my friends and I were having a game night and as we were wrapping up to leave, my friend Trent asked how he could be praying for us. Immediately I told them about the World Race and Trent began to speak truth to me. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. When I got home I decided to read my Bible but wasn’t sure what to read. So I went back to 2 Corinthians 1 and this time it all made sense. What Trent talked about lined up perfectly with the scripture I had read a few nights prior. God wasn’t gonna let me miss it. It was clearly answered.
Once I was accepted for the World Race the task of support raising began. I was praying so hard for the Lord to start providing. After a few days of having my donation page up and running I received my first donation. $410 from someone my age. In that moment God answered my prayer, and gave me confidence that He will provide. To this day over 40 people have contributed towards my goal of $19,700 and I have raised almost $5,000 so far, being 23% funded. He has shown up again and again, another clear answer.
Now let’s talk about worship. For a few months now I have been reading through the book of Psalms and the phrase “All Praise” has appeared to me over and over, and has came to my mind many times throughout the day. One night while I was at Young Adults the band was leading us in worship and I just heard God say “get on your knees”. To be honest, I did not want to get on my knees. What would people think? What would people say? It’s not the norm. So I told God, “if Piper gets on her knees, then I will too.” During the third song, standing in the aisle one row in front of me, was Piper, on her knees. How could God have been more clear. I wish I could finish this story by saying I was obedient but I wasn’t. I still said no. Fear said no for me. For the next week I prayed that God would give me the strength and humility to worship Him with my entire being. The following Thursday at YA during worship I heard it again “get on your knees”. So this time I stepped out of my row into an open area, got on both knees, and worshipped with my entire being. It was then that I felt the most overwhelming peace and freedom. That I would be knees down and eyes up in all praise. He once again clearly answered.
Now for the work place. Towards the end of February a dear family friend passed away. As I woke up early the day of the funeral and got ready for work I knew that it was going to be tough. I prayed that if it got to hard that God would send Kacelyn across my path at the hospital. Knowing she doesn’t work specifically on my unit it seemed like a big ask but I proceeded anyway. I left in the middle of work to attend the funeral and then went directly back to the hospital, changed my clothes, and got back to my place on the floor. At this moment I felt like I was okay, but as soon as I got to my patients door I bursted in tears. I couldn’t hold them back. Eventually I made it to the bathroom and that’s when I saw just how amazing my God is. The one person I prayed for, Kacelyn, was right there. Just when I needed her most. That was another clear answered prayer.
Next let’s mix those two places. YA and work. At the beginning of March I was honored to be one of the seven preachers for YA on a Thursday night. I happened to be working the day this was happening and to be honest work that day was everything but good. It was terrible. During my drive from work to the church I prayed over and over that God would change my heart. I was so discouraged because my heart was filled with so much exhaustion, frustration, bitterness, anger.. the list goes on and on. As I pulled up to the church and got out of my car I prayed one last time. “God, please change my heart so I can be used by you tonight.” As I was about 15 feet from the doorway I heard the music playing and instantly a smile lit my face and peace filled my heart. I was covered in joy. God answered another prayer clearly.
Last one, and this one’s fun. You think God just ignores the little prayers? The silly prayers? Think again. One day I was out and about running errands and I was really just craving some Texas Roadhouse. I hadn’t been there in so long, or honestly even thought about it in forever. So I just threw up a prayer “God I wanna go to roadhouse”. I didn’t even ask, I just told him. Three minutes later I received a message from my mom asking me one question. “Do you want to go to roadhouse with me and dad..?” Wow! No way. No way. God did it. Man He did it. I got to go to roadhouse twenty minutes later and you wouldn’t believe it. God even answers the little, simple, silly prayers. Clearly answered.
There’s many more prayers that I have seen in between the midst of all of these but I wanted to share with y’all just a few. The God I serve is relational. He listens, He speaks, but you have to do your part. Talk to Him, and listen. Wait for what’s clearly answered.
With gratitude, commitment, and love,
Ashley Dusek
