Have you ever had an incredible answer to a prayer you prayed? I’ve got a “Whale of a Tale” that happened last summer in answer to a prayer I prayed for my husband.
Surely one of the hardest things we can experience in life is the death of someone we love. A few years ago, our oldest daughter was killed in a motorcycle accident. God has walked with us as we’ve travelled through the valley of death’s shadow. There have been many miraculous moments of grace and demonstrations of love.
I want to share one of my favorites with you.
It was the first anniversary of Lindsey’s death and my dear husband was struggling. Work was tough, and sorrow is tough, and I felt like he needed encouragement. We have the great privilege to live on an island in the Puget Sound. There’s abundant wildlife all around us, and last summer a humpback whale was spotted around our island.
Eagerly, I went into our home office where Dennis was working and asked him if we could jump on one of our jet skis and look for the humpback. He reluctantly agreed and we pulled life jackets on and drove around. We saw nothing. Not one living thing! No birds, no fish, nothing at all for a good twenty minutes. Dennis stopped the jet ski in the middle of the channel between our island and another.
“Do you want to head back?” Dennis turned around and asked me. “There’s literally nothing going on out here.”
He looked so sad.
Without thinking, I prayed out loud, “Lord, would You please show us the whale?” And with what might be considered great impudence, I added, “And could we please get a picture of the whale with Rainier in the background?” Often hidden in the clouds, Mount Rainier was visible in all of its glory that day.
We decided to ride around another island. Over the next half hour or so, unbelievably, we still saw nothing. Not even a bird crossed our path. Dennis idled the jet ski at the island’s edge. We could see our house off in the distance. “Let’s just head back.”
I agreed, but before we could get going the humpback whale breached to our right, not more than twenty feet from us!
Let me tell you, it was an impressive, heart-stopping sight! We both cried out in amazement. Before Dennis could get his phone out, the whale soared out of the water behind us and crashed back into the water with a huge splash. He moved away from us while we slowly followed him from a safe, and legal, distance. The Lord answered my prayer, and as the whale headed out towards more open water, I was sure He would answer my entire request.
Why?
Because He’s my Father, and He delights in giving His children good gifts!
