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One weekday morning several months ago, I woke up to a familiar tune. In my grogginess I realized my husband had personalized the alarm on my phone

One of God’s greatest gifts in my life is having friends who speak truth and life, and after a day of feeling sorry for myself, two of them spoke the exact same wisdom into my heart: “ If the opportunity is available and it’s appealing, we may not even stop to pray or to seek God about whether or not it’s a good idea. But as I read in the gospel of John last week, the words jumped off the page as I realized Jesus wasn’t describing something he hadn’t experienced. We don’t serve a God who waves at us as an onlooker from afar, but one who’s concerned with each intimate detail of our lives.

The screaming started as soon as the plane began descending into Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. I tried to console my two-year-old son with toys and promises that we’d be there soon, but it was no use. After months of house hunting, my husband and I had finally found a place near his new job, and he was doing some DIY projects before closing. This quick trip presented an opportunity for my son to see his grandparents while giving Chris space to work.

Years of praying and working hard were finally producing a harvest and I could see God’s hand moving in multiple areas of our family’s life. If you’re anything like me, when those big ones come you can go to God and expect an answer right then, even when you’ve done little to even connect with him. As cupbearer, Nehemiah’s job is to make sure the king’s wine isn’t poisoned, but his rights are few. “Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. In other instances where right road is still unclear, God’s will is for us always is obedience, loving others, and honoring him with the way we live our lives.