When We Cast Our Burdens On Him

The camper was all closed up ready to be hitched to the SUV and taken down the mountain, as we retired one last camping trip of the year. Rob jumped into the driver's seat of the SUV and I positioned to back him up. He turned the ignition and, "click, click, click," is all we heard. The battery was dead. No jumper cables were in either vehicle present. Rob immediately began thinking about the next step. I considered the possibilities and thought, at best, one of us would have to take the second vehicle down the mountain home to get the jumper cables out of the jeep and back up. Although thankful for two vehicles, as Rob went up the mountain with Drew a day early for a father-son camp out, the thought of spending all morning trying to get back to civilization was daunting.

As Rob began to put into affect his first thoughts by disconnecting the battery from the camper, I knew what I must do. I walked over to vehicle A and opened the door to where the children were. I explained briefly what was happening and suggested we pray. They said, "Okay," and I prayed over our circumstance expecting God to come through.

I have shied away from bringing circumstances like these to God in prayer with my children for doubt, I suppose, that He would reveal Himself faithful to them. A calloused heart in me that I didn't recognize until God used opportunities to break me of my pride and then recently an excerpt from Tim Tebow's book, "Through My Eyes," caught my attention that spoke of Tim's mother praying with him as a child over a situation and from that very point, he learned to give his burdens over to God. That was it. I wanted my children to be able to determine from their early years that they could cast there burdens on God. Yet I, their mother, was lacking in that faith. Although, we prayed every day together, had I been praying over them for concerns with expectancy? I had to believe in God's faithfulness first if they were to.

Rob jumped back into vehicle A after connecting the two batteries and turned the ignition again. Nothing. He jumped back out, hopped into our other vehicle (vehicle B) and off he went.

As I stood there watching vehicle B disappear over the hill, I began to pray again quietly.

Lord, on behalf of these children, I need you to show up. I'm stepping out in faith that you will show them how you answer prayer when we come to you and I need you to use this situation as an opportunity....

I walked back over to vehicle A with the children patiently waiting and opened the door. I explained that daddy was going to see if there was another camper somewhere nearby who may have jumper cables and that we needed to keep praying. Robby immediately questioned, "What if we do not find a way to get out of here?" I took my cue and explained that we don't have to worry because when we have trouble we put our trust in God. We know he will get us out of this situation because He is good. It may not be as quickly as we would like, but we trust that He will. Then I said as quickly as the thought came to me,

You know that when a person prays, God hears them. But did you know that when two or more people come together in prayer, scripture says there is power in that prayer? So, will you pray with me again right now?

We pray again.

Only minutes later, as we were conversing about God's goodness, Rob pulled up. "We got it," he stated as he jumped out of vehicle B with jumper cables. My heart leaped and I looked toward the children and said, "And everybody says, Praise the Lord!"

"PRAISE THE LORD!" We all shouted. "YAY! HOORAY!"

I looked around to Rob to see how it was coming. He looked up and casually said, "We have company. I looked over the hood of vehicle B and saw an elderly man, whom I smiled at and waved to.

I then stepped back and quietly gave thanks.

Lord, you showed up! Thank you. For the sake of these children, thank you. And why I would think it silly to approach you in a circumstance like this...why I would doubt...

Rob jumped back into vehicle A to start it up. A little tease then click, click, click. Nothing. He jumped back out.

I approached the children again, "Okay kids, we're not done praying. We follow through with our prayer until He sees us through. And no sooner than, "Praise the Lord," came out of three-year-old Drew's mouth, Rob jumped back into the vehicle and started it right up.

"PRAISE THE LORD!" We all shouted in unison repeatedly. "WOHOO!"

All the way home, my heart was filled with thanksgiving:

Father, thank you that you have shown us today that we can cast our burdens on you and trust that you will see us through because you are good and you care about the details of our lives. You may not always see an obstacle through as quickly as we hope for, but we trust that you will see it through. Oh, maybe we could have gotten off that mountain in the same amount of time, in the same manner without prayer - but it would only have been a respite from the worry and frustration that would be lurking around the corner over the next obstacle. Instead, today, we have affirmation that you care about our burdens. And when you don't answer immediately, Lord, we know to keep praying and to trust that you are good. And when it finally seems you've answered and then one more let down occurs, you've shown us that we don't give up, but we praise you through it to the end until you see our circumstance through. Whether that is a total of thirty minutes, like this glorious day, or half a lifetime, we don't give up or give in. We will give you our burdens, trust you, and praise you through the storms. 

I can only trust what God is doing in the hearts of my children, but one thing I am certain of is this: by casting our burden on Him this day, my faith was strengthened. And the more my faith is made strong, the more God can use me in the life of my children's salvation.

Sharing with Finding Heaven and Graceful