Pray Carefully.

Have you ever prayed to be humble?

I have, and I don't recommend it. Big mistake. God answers prayers you know.

So pray wisely . . .

I was a very young newlywed, throughly enjoying the best year of my life -- the first year of marriage. (Ha, ha.) At the time, I thought it might also be appropriate to start my new life with a new journey of greater spirituality. You know, trying to become a better person, and all that.

I wanted to refine myself, to become better than I had been. I was not too far removed from the frenzied years of high school, and I wanted to push the old me aside and become anew.

Looking back, I can still remember dropping to my knees and asking God to "help me to be more humble." At the time, I sincerely thought humility would be a great thing to master. But, oh, how very foolish I was. Like I said, God always answers your prayers.

Not too long after I uttered my words of desired humility, I became very sick. I had been married for a little over a month when I came down with Mono.

It was in the depths of an Alaskan winter (which can be dark and depressing). I was confined to my bed, with extreme fatigue, marshmallow tonsils, and pain in my throat that felt like swallowing sharp knives.

The note from the doctor also said "no kissing." I had waited 20 years to kiss without guilt, and the doctor told me I could not kiss my own husband? Nice. It was awful. Just awful. Talk about making that first year of marriage even more jolly.

Humbling.

I was also in the middle of college classes, which I tried to make my way through on a brain full of fog, and a body fraught with pain. The same halls I once cruised with confidence (with the ability to do 50 knuckle push-ups), became a personal struggle just to get from one end to the other, and stay awake in class. I did not do so well in school.

Very humbling.

I got a new job. It was at a Chiropractor's office. I came highly recommended from the mortgage company I had previously worked for. I still had Mono. I went to work exhausted and sick, and it began to show in my work. I could barely see straight, or function properly. I quit the same day they were going to fire me.

Crushingly humbling.

I could go on and on with pride-breaking experiences. The point is, I got what I asked for. The only way to become humble is to be humbled, right?

So, in reality, these expereinces still go on to this day. I asked in prayer -- almost 14 years ago -- to be more humble. I can tell you for certain, that God keeps his finger on me to make sure my request is granted. Sometimes, when He is not too busy, He even grants my request on a daily basis. :-)

All I have to say is be very careful what you pray for. God will grant your request.

You would have thought I would have learned my lesson, but I recently recall saying a prayer for greater "strength" thinking nothing of it. Who wouldn't want more strength? Well, in order to become stronger you need something to cause your strength to grow . . . and that is a whole other blog entirely.