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Get ready for Laura: Laid Bare.  You ready?  Okay.

In the spirit of transparency, I must admit that - sometimes - when I pray, I hesitate to pray specifically.  It is so much easier to pray generally and hope for general outcomes.  I hesitate to pray for something so specific because if it does not turn out the very way I prayed, I wonder if my faith would be shaken.  Over the course of this last week, I've been learning more about prayer, more about myself, and - most importantly - more about my Father.

Tuesday, Cole had - other than Boards - the biggest test of his graduate school career.  He spent hours in preparation: getting ready, practicing, shining endless lights into my (and others') eyes, trying to get his procedure under the requisite time limit.... he was nervous.  And, being ridiculously empathetic, I was too.

Monday night we laid in bed, and he tossed and turned fitfully as the anxiety welled.  He rolled over, grabbed my hand, and asked me to pray with him.  Okay, easy enough.  So, with my head on his pounding heart, I started praying.

Never before have I prayed so specifically.  Asking God that Cole would get a patient who doesn't wear corrective lenses and doesn't have an extensive case history and a gracious proctor and a patient with big pupils.  (For those of you not married to an optometry student, all of those things make the exam go much more smoothly)  On and on, we prayed. Part of my heart felt completely silly to ask my Big God for something so seemingly trivial, while part of my heart soared to be sitting at the feet of my Father who delights to give good gifts to His children.

Tuesday came. It was 3pm, the test had begun. My heart was in knots. So, unable to do anything else, I prayed.  And prayed.  And prayed.  Until I FINALLY got the phone call.

He passed.

HE PASSED.  With flying colors and with plenty of time to spare.  As if there was any doubt...

Then, he began to tell me about the exam: it was the easiest patient ever, no corrective lenses, no extensive case history, a gracious proctor, and - whaddya know - a patient with large pupils.  Forget the patient, my eyes were the ones watering at that point!  What an incredible God we serve!

In a step of faith, I had preemptively picked up some steaks and champagne for dinner on my lunch break, anticipating a celebration.  And celebrate we did. (Note to self: Champagne is icky. I'll stick with Martinelli's thankyouverymuch.)

I know that I still have much to learn.  And, I recognize that even in the seemingly unanswered prayers, God is still, at all times and in all ways, at work to achieve His perfect purposes.  I have seen Him use "unanswered" prayers to grow my faith rather than shake it.  But, for today, I revel in this answered prayer, I marvel in a God who sees, and I rejoice in His grace abounding.  For His glory and our eternal good...

Oh, and I'm pretty darn proud of that man of mine.  ;)




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