I’d love to catch you up on what Father has been doing in my life since the writing of my book over four years ago. Within weeks of talking with my dentist about the possibility of braces, I was driving somewhere and miraculously noticed that one of the orthodontist that my dentist was referring me to was right next to the grocery store I shop at every week. I say miraculously noticed because the sign was completely covered by a bushy tree except for one small area that showed his last name. And I had never noticed this office before. I remember thinking, “How in the world did I see that?” Long story short, I made an appointment and started my adventure of investigating the possibility of getting braces. This orthodontist told me the same thing another one did twenty years ago. I would indeed need jaw surgery to get my bite perfect. I wasn’t up for the pain or the bill! But I continued to pray and think about it. A few months later I went to talk to this orthodontist again and he asked me to consider talking to an oral surgeon. I decided it would not hurt to go talk to him. I then find out that I would need two jaw surgeries! “This is ridiculous, Lord!” “I need to just forget about this!” I prayed, thought about it, let it go, prayed, thought about it, let it go. Fast forward another couple of years.
Three months ago I go back to my dentist for my check up and she asked, “Whatever happened with your consultations from the orthodontist?” I shared with her my disappointment and acceptance that this was not something I was going to be able to do. She then asked, “Did you go to the second orthodontist to get a second opinion?” I said, “No, it seems like the possibility of getting braces is just too big of an endeavor.” “Rebekah, please go and just ask this other orthodontist what he can do without putting you through surgery.” I tried to put this to rest but this lovely dentist persisted in encouraging me to not give up yet. So my dreams and desires get stirred up again BUT I thought, “If I go get the SAME prognosis from this orthodontist I can totally put this thing to rest!” So I made my appointment fully expecting the same prognosis.
I walk in and immediately connect with the office manager and the treatment coordinator who just happen to be Exchanged Life counselors at a local church. “Wow, Lord, this is wierd.” We were talking so much when the orthodontist walked in he said, “Don’t let me interrupt you girls.” He then examined me and said he believed he could help me if it did not have to be perfect. “What?” “What did you say?” “Are you kidding me?” “Okay Lord this is getting ridiculous because I STILL don’t have the money!” The coordinator I had just met became excited for me. I then told her, this is great news but I don’t have a penny to put toward this endeavor. She said, “Well we’ll just have to pray up this money, won’t we?” I left her office stunned. I was also surprised that I would only need to leave the braces on for 18 months. My heart leapt with joy and my next thought was, “We need to start tomorrow! I’m already 53 years old!” As Tim and I talked about this possibility we both felt the need to slow down, take our time and pray. It was neat to see again that what I teach people really does work. I surrendered my right to get braces and put this in my Heavenly Father’s hands. I had complete peace! I also had a knowing that I can’t explain, that one day it was going to happen. I also had no idea HOW it was going to happen. I remember thinking, “Lord, this is so shallow. There are so many people needing so many more important things.” My next thought that I believe came from my father said, “Do you think I have limited resources and if I help you I can’t help them? I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” I began to discover a way to come up with 1/3 of the money. My next thoughts was, “Wow, Lord, there’s so many other things we need to spend this money on.” The temptation to just forget about this was so strong! I wrote the treatment coordinator at the orthodontist office a quick e-mail and asked her to pray for me. This is what she wrote back, “Rebekah, in fact I have been praying for you often! I believe this is important for you to do on many levels, though I don’t know exactly what those are. I pray for you every time I see your chart, which is several times a day. Since I met you, I believed there was something much bigger than straight teeth going on here, so I will just keep praying until those braces are on! What are we here for if not to encourage one another to trust God for every detail-even our teeth!” This lady has only met me once. How could she care so deeply about me?
The very next day I went by the office and decided that Father was definitely leading me to take the plunge of faith in this area of my life. Does your Heavenly Father care about your heart and your desires too? I think HE cares about every single one of you as much as HE does me. After all the bible says even the hairs on your head are numbered. Does HE always answer every prayer the way we want and do what we ask? No, I will be the first to tell you HE does not. But when HE does not, HE has a reason and I will trust HIM. Why would he do this for me now? I have no idea, other than to say HE loves me and HE cares about this area of my life and heart. And HE cares about you too. Will you trust him? I can’t wait to see how HE will provide the finances and walk me through this adventure. Matthew 6:26 – “Look at the birds of the air that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”
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