Happy Birthday to...

My younger sister!

Today is my younger sister's birthday. And I thought I would share a story with you.

I was the youngest in my family. And for as long as I could remember I wanted a young sibling, a baby sister to be exact. I prayed and I prayed and I prayed for a baby sister. One day, I remember telling my mom, "I want a baby sister." Her reply to me was that she was too old. My response to that was, "But Sarah and Elizabeth in the Bible had babies when they were old." I am not sure what my mom thought of this...but I figured if God could give them babies when they were older then my parents could still have another baby, too. After all, I didn't think they were old.

So I kept praying. I knew God answered prayers. Both of these couples had wanted children and God answered their prayers. I trusted in Him and believed He would answer my prayer as well.

After being the baby of the family for almost 9 years, God answered my prayers. The Christmas before I turned nine, my parents announced that my mom was pregnant! I was so happy, I started crying. It was the first major prayer God had answered for me! Months later, my mom had an ultrasound. I was privilege to be able to go with. I, of course, wanted to find out if the baby was a girl or a boy, but we weren't able to find out. But I continued to trust God. I knew the baby was a girl. I knew that God had indeed fully answered my prayer. I kept telling everyone the baby would be a girl.

So that June 4th came, just a month before I turned nine years, and I baby girl was born into our family. God answered my prayer. He gave me a baby sister. The one I had prayed for...for nine (almost!) years. Even more, it was in His perfect timing.

Lord, thank You for answering my prayers. Thank You for doing it in Your timing and not in what we may think would be the right time. Thank You for miracles! Amen!

Never give up hope! All things are possible with God!

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Here were the Bible verses that reference the stories of these people who were older, who prayed for their children, and God blessed them with children:

Luke 1:7
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

Luke 1:36
Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

Genesis 18:11
Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

Genesis 21:1
[ The Birth of Isaac ] Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

1 Samuel 1:20 (ESV)

And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”