10/27/2026
If the Lord calls you to do something…it doesn’t mean it will be easy…in fact…you won’t be able to do it without Him.
Yesterday, the Lord reminded me of a sweet and funny story that happened years ago.
I was in my early twenties and had just graduated from language school here in Costa Rica.
I rented a small house surrounded by fruit trees in the mountains. I quickly became friends with the owners of the home, who lived right next door.
I was teaching English at a preschool during the day and teaching English to adults at night.
But in my spare time, I was investigating how I could start a children’s home…knocking on all kinds of office doors, talking with anyone who might be able to help. I quickly found out…that this was not going to be easy. In fact, it almost seemed impossible. I knew what the Lord had spoken to my heart, but everything seemed SO hard. So slow.😔
One day, I was out and my heart began to pound. I felt as if I couldn’t breathe…I thought I would die. It must be a heart attack…I thought.
But after a visit to the emergency room, I was sent home.
I felt like I was living in a cloud of fear…I had never felt this way before, and it lasted for quite some time.
One day, my two sweet neighbors, knowing things had been hard, knocked on my door. The dishes needed washing, the house needed cleaning, and I was stretched out on the couch. They looked around and saw that dishes needed washing and the floor needed sweeping. They were like two angels with their sweet, smiling faces. In a short time, everything was clean while I lay on the couch wondering why I felt this way. I felt exhausted.
Then I heard, “Charlyn, can we pray with you?”
“Sure,” I said, still stretched out on the couch.
When I looked up…there they were, this mother and daughter…their sweet faces looking down at me. And to my surprise, the placemats I had on my table, now covered their heads. They had wrapped them around like little bonnets. 😊
“If we are going to pray, we must cover our heads,” they said.
It was their way of showing reverence to God. They had been taught that was the only way to pray.
Now they loved Jesus, and I knew they did, so what did a couple of placemats matter.🤷♀️
What mattered was Jesus. And I sure did need Him!
To make a long story short...a few years later, we were able to start a children’s home. I married my dear, wonderful husband. And six of our children walked down the aisle! They needed a home. They had become part of a family.....Only God could do that!!!
No, it sure wasn’t easy, but it was only because of the Lord…only because of Him. He made a way.
If God tells you something, it may not happen right away. In fact, it probably won’t. But what He says, He will do.
And placemats or no placemats…He hears our prayers. And I am so grateful!!
When things get hard, and they most certainly will...we need to be reminded of all He has done.(I know I do).
And one thing is for sure...If He said it....He will do it!❤️🙌
