“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11
God is infinite. Jesus Christ is our Savior, Lord, and the Living Word. He created the earth with His Word and continually renews our hearts through it. Christ lives in us through His Word and the Holy Spirit. His Word always accomplishes what He intends. During crucial times in my life, God has helped me pray His promises back to Him, reinforcing my faith in the fulfillment of His Word.
A key prayer request after I graduated from college was who I would marry. I would take out my prayer journal and Bible each day and pray over Genesis 2:18, which says, “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’” I would read and pray over the story of Isaac and Rebecca, as well as many other Bible verses. Many of my family and friends were also praying for me.
Over the years, I didn’t find the answer to my prayer or see God fulfill His Word. However, God gave me the strength to persevere and continue praying. This was not easy, as I watched many people get married and start families while I remained single. At a Christian conference 11 years after college, I spent a special season of prayer in my hotel room for a husband. I prayed over many verses and surrendered marriage to God’s infinite love and wisdom. A week later, I met my future husband, Philip. God fulfilled His Word to me.
Philip and I wouldn't have married without prayer and God's fulfillment of His promise. Every detail, including invitations, attire, flowers, plates, and especially the reception food, encountered delays and uncertainties. Six months before the wedding, we arranged with a friend to manage the catering for the reception. However, as the date drew near, we couldn't reach him because he was unavailable.
With three weeks before the wedding, we began reaching out to other catering services to see if they could provide food for our reception, but we received no response. We prayed repeatedly and claimed the verse, “The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season” (Psalm 145:15).
Three weeks prior to the wedding, we began contacting various catering services about our reception food but received no replies. We prayed often and claimed the verse, “The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season” (Psalm 145:15).
Nine days before the wedding, we felt desperate because the catering was still unresolved. Fortunately, a family member mentioned a new plant-based restaurant that had recently opened. We rushed there, tried their delicious dishes, and surprisingly, they agreed to cater just a week before the wedding. The food was the best we've ever tasted. God's faithfulness was evident, leading us to adopt Isaiah 55:11 as the theme Bible verse for our wedding.
Philip and I moved to Egypt soon after marrying, where we enjoyed teaching and connecting with Egyptian students. However, God directed us to another North African country to study Arabic and teach. During prayer and fasting about His plan, we felt prompted to pray over Deuteronomy 8:7-9, asking God to lead us to “a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates... of fountains and springs, which flow out of valleys and hills.”
In the country we were relocating to, we looked for a house outside the city where my husband could use his farming skills and teach. We kept praying over this verse and others. A few months later, as we arrived in our new city, God miraculously provided temporary housing for four months while we searched for a rural property.
We contacted realtors, rented cars, and explored the countryside by knocking on house doors, looking for a property that suited our needs. As the months passed, we had only one week left in our temporary lodging. During this period, we kept praying over God’s Word.
One of our worship community elders visited that week and prayed for us to find housing. The next day, a realtor reached out, saying he had a country house for us to view. It was perfect!
The property was modest and affordable, with a spacious garden that grew grapes, fig trees, pomegranates, and other fruits. It bordered wheat and barley fields. Water from a spring on a hill supplied the house. We lived there for two years, making many joyful memories in that village. God kept His promise to us.
Due to health issues, Philip and I returned to the U.S. and secured teaching jobs. However, Philip sensed a deep calling to establish a farm at a Christian school. After earnest prayer, God showed him Jeremiah 29:11, reassuring him that He has plans to give hope and a future.
Meanwhile, I realized that gardening could greatly improve my health, and I joined Philip in praying over Jeremiah 29:11 along with many other Bible verses. One day, Philip had an interview with a school about starting a farm. Although that opportunity didn’t come to pass, a few weeks later, the school sent Philip a mug with Jeremiah 29:11 on it, which felt like a sign of God’s encouragement to him.
A few days later, Philip’s mom called him to share how she was moved to read Jeremiah 29:11 to him, reminding him that God had a plan for his life. A few weeks afterward, during morning devotions at work, a colleague read a testimony about Jeremiah 29:11 on two consecutive days. This deeply encouraged Philip, and we continued to pray for him.
Then God miraculously made it happen! A generous donor at a Christian high school opened the door for Philip to start a farm and work with high school students. God answered our many prayers and fulfilled His promise.
We can trust God and His Word. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Call to Action
Are you using God’s Word in your prayers as you face a current challenge? No matter what difficulty you encounter, keep praying God’s Promises and asking for His help.
I am personally prayerfully tackling a tough situation: endometriosis and ten years of infertility. God keeps encouraging me through His Word. I trust in His endless love, wisdom, and perfect timing. I surrender this challenge to Him.
I urge you not to give up and to stay strong, because God will bring His Word to pass in accordance with His infinite love and wisdom!
All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
