answered prayer / marriage counselors

I was stressed out knowing I said yes to host a couple here who I didn't know. A very last minute thing. I guess this is a normal thing for me, to get stressed out I mean. We only have single beds! Not exactly ideal for couples.  I didn't know them at all! I didn't even know if they were going to be American or European. Would they speak English or not? They weren't Slovene so I knew they didn't speak my second language  

BUT... I am so SO SOOOooooo encouraged right now.

God really does answer prayer! One of my prayers was so quiet and faint, my own heart hardly heard my prayer, though I know I asked.

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"God, can you send a couple that would give Shawn and I some marriage counseling?"

Not that Shawn and I are struggling at all. Two years ago, we had our first marriage counseling ever. (OK, besides pre-marital counseling). This one was actually required for all JV Missionary couples! JV knows how valuable strong marriages are to ministry. I remember talking with Shawn before our session of what topic we're going to talk about. We walked up to the table feeling a bit awkward. We had no idea! We sat down with the wise older couple across the table and began by saying we weren't sure what to talk about. It was our first time to a counselor, we told them. And we proceeded to share how strong our marriage is. But that day, God challenged our marriage to go even deeper, to be even stronger, to not just survive, but to thrive. They asked very deep and challenging questions and this day -forever- will remain as a launching pad for an even STRONGER / HEALTHIER marriage.

Though we do have, I believe, a very strong marriage, can't we continue to grow and have an even stronger marriage? Just like our relationship with Jesus can always go deeper, so I believe our marriage can as well.

Well this day was a little different. Shawn and I have been going around and around on a particular subject for quite some time. Months actually. And this week the same subject was brought up. "I'm hurt", I told Shawn. As I started to cry. This same feeling keeps coming up when you say this to me. "I don't know why you feel hurt when I say that. It's not meant to hurt you", he says. Ugh, but it hurts, and I wish it didn't. So around and around we go. I can tell I am looking through the pink glasses and him the blue. I'm trying hard to understand, but can't. He's trying, but can't. We are trying to solve this, but can't seem to.

If only we had an outside perspective. Maybe we need a counselor to talk us through this. 

"God, can you send a couple that would give Shawn and I some marriage counseling?" I prayed.

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And God sent me the answer these last two days with this Serbian couple. They stayed with us. Talked with us. Spent two nights here. We prayed together. And they shared a bit of the journey God has brought them on with us. I was so challenged to give God even more trust... He is good... and knows all things.
He is El Shaddai ( a word I am studying this week for youth group )

None of us knew what God was going to do. None of us knew the life long blessing they would leave behind in my heart and memory. They encouraged us in so many ways! And my very specific prayer was answered in the most incredible way.

This couple was planned to stay with a different family while here in Slovenia. Then I let out a faint prayer to God. I prayed to have counseling. At that moment, I can imagine, the planned host family canceled (because God redirected the couple to us). Our pastor called to see if we could host them minutes after I prayed. I didn't connect my prayer with the phone call yet :) But that evening, they came, sat at the table with us and I asked what they do for a job. 

"We are marriage counselors", they said.

And the thing I don't want to forget... they said we are a wrapped tightly together, holding on to the Lighthouse of this city. Thank you Jesus for an encouraging visit and answered prayer!