WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN TWO YEARS?

I listened to videos from a worship conference my son and I attended two years ago (read more about our experience here) instead of one of my playlists while I ran this morning. Yes, I said listening to videos. I’m weird like that. The music at the event was amazing, and Max and I videoed many of the songs. Since all the music was live, our phone recordings are different from the versions of the same songs I have downloaded on Spotify.

“Glorious Day” started playing, and 1:16 minutes into the song Brandon Lake broke into a spontaneous declaration of, “This is my testimony…” Brandon proceeded to contrast the way God had changed his life. Such as, “This is my testimony--from dark to light. This is my testimony--from death to life.” And it got me thinking about where I was two years ago. 

Max and I two years ago at the Heaven Come Conference in Dallas.

Where was I then? 
Where am I now? 
I don’t mean I was standing in insanely hot August Texas heat eating a-ma-zing tacos with some special zingy seasoning from a food truck while Max and I waited to get into the conference, but the things I was praying for two years ago. The things Max was praying for.

And how God has answered so many of those prayers.

Max was headed into his senior year of high school. Due to injuries he was no longer able to play soccer, which had been his sport the first three years of school. He didn’t know where he wanted to go to college. Or how he would continue with the worship music he was passionate about when he went away to school. At that conference I remember specifically praying for healing of an old, deep family wound and for my writing which seemed to be taking a new direction.  I had all kinds of  questions about where exactly God wanted it to go.

Fast forward to today. Max’s senior year was by far his favorite year of high school. He tried and loved a new sport and made incredible new friends. Last week he started his sophomore year of college, at a university we’re certain God guided him to. He leads worship both on and off campus in a variety of outlets using his musical gifts to point others to Jesus. The prayers my son prayed throughout that conference. The things he took to Jesus. They’ve been answered in wonderful ways we could have never imagined.

Me? 
God placed a friend and a conversation in front of me that nudged me to start seeing a Christian counselor. She has helped me heal from my past in ways I didn’t know were possible. I’ve teamed up with an amazing publisher who has provided avenues for me to share about Jesus’ great love for us that I didn’t know existed. I look back to August 2019 Laura and see that as I sang, worshipped, and got down on my knees, the things I was talking to Jesus about? Those things? He heard me. He listened, He cared. He has provided in unfathomable ways. 

​And today, I write this for two reasons.

1. To encourage you to look back to your life two years ago. Where were you? What were your biggest concerns and hopes? What were you praying for? How has God been there for you? What prayers have been answered? Take a minute to praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness.
2. ​To encourage you that if you’re facing something terrifying or uncertain or painful, a long, hard season, or if you just have some questions for Jesus, God is at work. He’s listening to your prayers. He cares about what’s going on in your life. He’s already arranging this and putting that in place and making this introduction, so that two years from now, you’ll have a testimony. You’ll be able to declare how He moved. How He loved you through whatever you’re facing today.

Ephesians 3:20

I’m not promising everything will look like you think it should. 
I doubt it will. 
Max’s situation isn’t at all how he had it sketched out. 
It’s so much better. 
Same with me. 
Max and I didn’t even know to pray for some of the things God has provided. 

I can’t wait to hear what your testimonies are--how God has moved in your past two years or past two weeks or last  two days. Drop a comment--I’d love to praise Jesus with you. 
Also drop a comment if you have a prayer request. I’d be honored to pray with you. Because I cannot wait to see where we’ll all be two years from now, sharing our testimonies of how our loving Savior has done so much infinitely more than we could ever hope for or imagine. How He has answered our prayers.


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