We had been praying nightly for kids to come to our church. Our family loves our little house church and the kids also feel quite at home. However, they are wanting friends there too. I can understand. We encouraged them to start asking God, and we also asked him each night at bedtime. Sunday when we walked into church there was a family with a boy and a girl exactly our kids ages! While we were getting seats and greeting everyone (you kiss everyone on the cheek here-even if it means walking around the table and doing so even if you're late...like we were), J quietly came and tugged on my sleeve. He leaned close and I leaned down while greeting another lady. "Mom," he whispered as I kissed the woman, "mom, God answered our prayers!" Then he was off to sit by a newfound friend while he enjoyed breakfast.
This was such a beautiful thing for our family-and for our kids to experience! The family was only visiting their brother who goes to our church-they live on a different continent. However, as we talked on the drive home, we still praised God for hearing and answering. We could have started praying any week this summer. The family could have visited any week this summer. That we prayed and they visited this week is not a surprise to God. He does indeed hear and answer! I reminded the kids of this and we continue to pray for kids to come (and hopefully stay too!)
Meanwhile, all week E has been running back and forth to her new friend's house. She and our neighbor 2 houses over are now inseparable. This morning both girls ran to the back gardens in their pajamas and were calling back and forth across the neighbors yard to each other. Last night their family took us out for some delicious Turkish food at a restaurant in Brussels and today we had a bbq with them and our neighbors who share our back fence. As we've prayed for friends in our neighborhood it is feeling like God is working in that too this week. J met a boy around the corner at the park and he starts soccer soon so it will only continue.
As we celebrated 1 year in Belgium this week I can't help but stand in awe at how gracious God is and how many prayers he has answered so abundantly! Even in the midst of so much other heartache and concern I keep reminding myself over and over each day that he is good, he is listening and he hears us even when it feels like we can't see how in the world it is true. These days when we see tangible evidence of his works we stop and thank him and use those moments to keep moving in the dark days where we feel nothing-knowing he is faithful and is still God.