The Still-Small Voice: #NotSoSmallAfterAll

DeDe Our Prayer Warrioress

What an awesome worship we enjoyed yesterday at BBTemple!  Perhaps even more incredible was how His “still small voice’ manifested itself in the most unexpected and humbling way I’ve ever witnessed.

Yesterday was simply a day when God gently yet decisively rearranged our plans from the get-go.  Totally appropriate considering that Fifth Sundays are “Special”—that is, when Beloved (aka my husband and Associate Pastor Larry Thacker Jr.) and I “Preach-n-Teach” to give Pastor David Whitmore and his lovely wife Priscilla a well-deserved break from their shepherding duties.

And this Fifth Sunday wasted no time in revealing just how “special” it would become.  From my Guest Speaker’s early morning cancellation to my back-up speaker’s lack of confirmation combined with our collective doubt about our preparedness, suffice to say Beloved and I by comparison might make timid Gideon look downright arrogant.

Ah!  But that is exactly when He shows up!

And in the most humbling yet powerful way. Pastor and Priscilla’s daughter Kimmi arrived though released from the hospital after surgery just days before. Quickly I set aside our usual Praise & Prayer request routine to gather round our hurting Kimmi and lift her up on the wings of our prayers.  Pressing tightly in to Kimmi we locked hands and hearts while Pastor Larry began to pray.  Priscilla prayed next followed by that awkward silence that sometimes punctuates collective prayer.

Then lo and behold something truly incredible happened.

A muffled voice softly yet boldly begins to pray.  Who is that? It’s Kelly!  A smile crosses my lips.  Is this our Kelly?  Who suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) in a car accident decades ago?  The same Kelly who after the death of her caretaker father James now finds herself homeless? That Kelly??!  YES!!!

But wait!  There’s more!

Just as Kelly completes her impassioned plea for Kimmi’s rapid recovery, another voice more muffled than hers chimes in.  It’s Teresa!  Our precious childlike Teresa who struggles with multiple disabilities delivers a sweet, simple, heartfelt prayer unintelligible perhaps to anyone but God Himself.

Before the silence even has a chance to creep back in one last lone voice fills our hearts…it is DeDe.    Our once-shy Sister in Christ) who just last week rededicated herself to the Lord despite the seemingly insurmountable life challenges she struggles with daily after the death of her mother Arvella) now prays with the confidence of a Prayer Warrioress.

1 Kings 19:12 KJV   And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice

“Praise God & Hallelujah!” I thrill as sweet Tears of Joy begin to flow! At last I’ve seen The Day:  when  through vessels that the rest of the world would consider “the least of these” at best, the “still small” voice of God would ring out so clear and pure and true.  Proof positive for all involved in Disability Ministry:  never say never!  Even if you don’t see it, He is at work with an endless supply of “boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” Eph 3:12 NASB For His Glory! Amen.