His Praise Shall Continually Be in My Mouth

The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

Psalm 34 is one of my favorite Psalms. I have often turned to this Psalm for comfort and someday I want to memorize all 22 verses. Someday when my plate just isn't as full, but I don't know if that someday will ever come.

However, this post isn't about me. It's about Elizabeth and a mighty God that answered a sweet little 5 year old's prayer. Last summer Elizabeth took swimming lessons at Camp Nickajack and was swimming pretty well by the end of the summer. Well, about two weeks ago she jumped in the pool in Williamsburg and completely forgot everything that she had learned. Maybe she just panicked and then got scared about the water, but going to the pool since then has not been a fun event with Elizabeth. She has cried that she doesn't want to go. She has even gone as far as begging while we're at the pool to take her home and put her to bed. She'd rather go to bed early then put her head in the water.

Well, Derek bribed her to put her head underwater and to try to swim to the side and she just cried and cried. He made her do it, but it's like she never even knew how to swim. We knew that this week would be our week of swim lessons at Camp Nickajack and we just couldn't believe that we were starting all over. She cried this weekend that she didn't want to go and we told her she didn't need to be scared, etc. Sunday night as we said our family prayers, Matthew and Stephen were praying that they'd have a fun week at swim lessons and Elizabeth's sweet prayer was "Dear God, I pray for my family and help me not to be scared at swim lessons tomorrow."

Then at 5 a.m. Monday morning she shows up next to my bed and says, "Momma, I can't sleep. I keep thinking about swim lessons and I'm afraid." If you know me well, you know that I'm worth nothing at 5 a.m. in the morning. I really just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep, but instead I said, "Crawl in the bed with me. I'll pray for you. God told us that we don't need to be afraid. He has not given us a spirit of fear." I prayed for her and she fell back asleep. I then asked God to please answer her prayer and mine. I didn't want to listen to Elizabeth scream and cry later that day about lessons.

Well, praise God! He answered our prayers! Elizabeth walked back to those lessons (the parents aren't allowed by the pool) without a tear in her eyes and she did great yesterday and today. She didn't cry at all and did exactly what they said including jumping off the diving board today.

Here's the best part. My mom asked her today how her swim lessons were going. Elizabeth said "Good and I'm not even scared".
My mom said "That's great, what changed your mind?
Elizabeth "I prayed"
My mom "Well, that's good"
Elizabeth "God answers Christians."

Oh yes, sweet little Elizabeth, He does!

"O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:8