Monday on a Thursday

When we got home from our church retreat on Sunday evening, Nathan got the mail, and I received a job application pack I requested much earlier. It was an English teaching job at a school probably 20 minutes away by car. Happily, the job started in April instead of September, which was a good thing for us. Unhappily, the whole application was due the next day, and it was too late for me to mail it back. I was overwhelmed immediately and burst into tears, which is quite common when I'm overwhelmed. Nathan encouraged me to get started right away, work on it until late, and then get on a bus and hand deliver it the next day. 

I woke up the next morning to a dark, stormy, and violently windy day. Grrr... I got up and checked the computer for bus routes and times, and I saw that my friend Mary Lou had e-mailed me asking for prayer requests. I shot her a quick response about me having to drop off the job application and asked if she would pray that it would just stop raining while I spent several hours traveling via public transportation. 

The following is an excerpt I wrote in an e-mail to her when I got home: 

"Mary Lou, as soon as I left for that school to drop off the job application, the rain stopped and the sun came out, but it was still really windy. After my bus ride, I only had to ask for directions to the school twice, and I found it with no problem. I blustered into the gates next to the soccer fields with my hair swirling around me and my bag clutched close to me. I tried to straighten myself out before going into the building, and when I did, I looked up and saw a HUGE RAINBOW! I mean... the whole thing from one side to the other. It was so bright and beautiful! I immediately burst into tears and laughter at the same time and said, "The Lord loves me!" I took a picture to prove it, but of course, it didn't do it justice. I walked into the school and handed my application in. When I came out two minutes later, the rainbow as gone. I think it was just for me.

On my way back to the bus station, I went into a shoe store and found some comfortable black boots from Clarke's at a major discount, AND I got my lunch at McDonald's, which we don't have here in Durham. I was originally really angry that I had to take three and a half hours and almost $12 in bus fares to drop off one job application, but I know now that I was able to do so for my own encouragement (rainbow, boots, McDonald's!)... and to prove to you that your prayers are powerful and effective."

If you want something prayed for, now you know who to call. But don't call her too much, because I need her full time. :)