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  • Writer's pictureDavid and Marilynn Chadwick

Secrets to a Thankful Heart: Watch for Signs

by Marilynn Chadwick In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch (Psalm 5:3 NASB 1995). “Mom, you seem to see God work in the craziest ways,” my daughter Bethany laughed after hearing about my latest answered prayer. My now-grown daughter, who was fifteen at the time, was used to hearing my “God stories.” After all, she herself was the product of a miracle. Bethany had grown up hearing the story of how I had experienced a dramatic healing that enabled us to finally have her after many years of waiting and praying. Her two younger brothers were also the result of God’s mysterious healing hand. Our soon to be ten grandchildren share in the legacy of this healing miracle. I’ve often thought back to Bethany’s comment. Why do I seem to see God work in such “crazy ways?” Being the wife of a minister in no way guarantees that I get to see God more clearly. Maybe it’s simply because I’m always watching. I have come to believe that God is involved in even the tiniest details of my life. I suppose I’m a bit like the character in a now-classic movie, Fools Rush In, who said, “Signs are everywhere. You just have to watch for them.” And because I am usually watching, I often see God at work in the big moments and the small. Maybe you’re like me—always on the lookout for God. The Bible talks a lot about “signs and wonders.” I think they are kind of like God’s fingerprints. I personally believe that when we see a sign from God, we should wonder, “What is he trying to say to me?” Looking back over my life, I can point to times when God showed up big and did something only he could do. Heal a sick body, rescue someone from danger, send an angel, or answer a prayer. I’ve seen miracles up close and personal—in my own family, my neighborhood, and in faraway places. David and I have served God in the same city for over forty years, but our ministry has taken us to six continents. But no matter where I go, I find men and women, boys and girls, who have discovered the amazing grace of Jesus. Many have shared their own stories of how God showed up with a miracle when they cried out for his help. And just like I did, they have seen him move in mighty ways when they reached the end of their rope. That’s why I like to say that the prayer that most often gets God’s attention is simply: “Help!” Watching for signs is crucial to seeing God at work. But so is desperation. Praying to him like you really mean it. Even in our modern world, God still speaks through signs and wonders. I’ve had mysterious encounters that convince me that angels are real. That prayer works. That some stories can only be described as miracles. Over the next few days, I hope you’ll join us as we take time to remember our miracles. May we all pray more, watch more, and especially thank God more—especially during this Thanksgiving season.

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