“The Secret Peanut Butter Power”
By: Carla McDougal
So I opened my mouth, and He (God) gave me the scroll to eat. Then He said to me,
“Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate,
and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. ––Ezekiel 3:3
It’s 5:30 a.m. A loud noise electrifies my body. Without a peep, I reach for the snooze
button. Ten minutes later another blast jolts me into motion. With my feet firmly
planted on the ground, I make my way to the kitchen. Oh, the blessing of an
automatic coffeemaker. Still not fully awake, I notice the clock now reads 5:45 a.m.
A pleading prayer immediately pours out “Lord, it’s another day filled with
routines—kids to get ready for school, breakfast to make, dogs to feed, lunches to
create, buses to catch, homework to remember, athletic shoes to pack, notes to
sign, and whatever else I’m forgetting. And all this has to be done by 6:30 a.m.!
Please help me have…
a positive attitude this morning.”
After waking the children, I take another sip of coffee. I hear a small rumble from the
bathroom, which ignites into a roar. What are they fussing about this time?
Thankfully my words of wisdom quickly extinguish the argument. Of course, they
know from past history it is to their advantage to heed my warning… if you know
what I mean.
Cereal is the breakfast of choice––quick and easy! Realizing time is running short, I
begin making lunches. In the process, this thought runs through my mind, “How
many peanut butter sandwiches have I made over the years?” The minute this
thought exits, another idea surfaces, “What if I begin praying for my children as I
make their lunches? I can use these peanut butter sandwiches as visual reminders
to pray for each one.” With a twinge of excitement, I grab the bread, knife, and jars
of peanut butter and jelly. With a large glob on my knife, I begin to pray…
“Lord, just as I spread this peanut butter on the bread, may You spread Your Word
on my children’s hearts. Give them an excitement to spread the message of Jesus to
their friends at school. And as this jelly brings sweetness to the sandwich, may
Your Holy Spirit sweeten their relationships with Jesus. Like these two pieces of
bread that cover the peanut butter and jelly, may Your love and protection cover
my children’s lives. Finally, as they eat these sandwiches, may they experience the
taste of Your spiritual nourishment throughout their day.”
Immediately, I realize God responded to my early morning prayer for a positive
attitude. Humbleness fills my heart, soul, and mind. A song of praise comes from my
lips as I give God glory for His presence and for answering my prayer.
PRAYER CHALLENGE
Are you in need of a fresh perspective and outlook for the day? Ask the Lord for
encouragement throughout your daily routines. Look for ways He spurs you forward
and answers your prayers. Oh, how precious it is when we leave the details to Jesus
and watch Him change our hearts!
Award-winning author and speaker, Carla McDougal founded Reflective Life Ministries in 2008. Her true passion is her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It humbles her to realize His love, grace, and mercy go beyond her understanding. She truly believes laughter is medicine from the Lord that breaks down walls and removes the masks in our lives. As a result, God has taken her around the world to encourage others to live every day for Him. Her latest book, My Prayer Chair, won multiple awards in 2013 and is now available in Spanish. Carla and her husband, Fred, live in the Houston, TX area and have three sons, one daughter, and two daughters-in-“love.” She smiles to think of the experiences God has allowed in her life to teach and remind her “He is in control.”
Check Carla out here:
https://www.facebook.com/CarlaMcDougalAuthor?ref_type=bookmark
