Kristi's Krazy Korner: James 5:13-20 and the Faith Tree

I have a story that I want to tell you. It has been on my heart for a while that I need to share this so here goes!!!!

Let me start by saying that studying the faithful prayer is something that is very dear to me. It is a subject that I can read and talk and pray about night and day. There are so many great books on the subject! William and I have spent hours, days and months studying and praying about this topic. I really enjoy reading about other's studies regarding this. Though I may not agree with everything they speak of, these are some of the books that I have enjoyed....
1. Afraid God Works Afraid He Doesn't by Terry Rush I think this is my favorite and is the first book I read that really made me want to learn more about this subject.
2. The Fourth Dimension by Dr. David Yonggi Cho
3. Andrew Murray on Prayer by Andrew Murray
4. The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life by Charles Stanley
5. The book of James in the Bible!!
Let me say again...I do not agree with every single thing they say, but these books in some way help me on my journey to learn about the Faithful Prayer!

Now, on to my story!

Five years ago I went to a store called Big Lots. Cool store by the way! As I was leaving I saw five trees on the sidewalk outside of the store. They looked like twigs wrapped with bags on the bottom. They were only $11!!!! Well, William had just been laid off and we were big on love and short on money :) Oh, but I had wanted a tree so badly planted in the back yard. I saw that this tree was destined to grow into a Weeping Willow so I decided I would buy it. After taking it in the store to purchase, I found out it was even marked down from that to $8!!! Like I said....cool store! So Brianna, Tori and baby Emi and I bought this little "tree" and tossed it in the trunk.

After arriving home I took it out and sat it on the driveway where it sat and sat and sat for a few more weeks. This particular spring it rained a ton and we had a lot of trouble finding a time when the ground was dry enough to plant it. Finally the poor tree began to stink and rot at the roots. We decided that it must be planted if there were to be any hope for it. We tried to dig a hole, but with the ground so wet and muddy we did not have much luck, or much patience! So after digging a hole that we figured was good enough, we plopped the tree in.

Oops!! The root ball was still about halfway above the ground. Well, with not much hope for the tree anyway we just told the girls to slap some mud pies around the part that was showing (I think that we thought if we could not see the roots through the mud then they were safe :)) After this debacle we were ready to head in and Brianna and Tori asked if we could pray for the tree. Okay, no big deal, so we do.

Skip ahead about six months to one October evening. We had a little storm. I really mean little! There was some thunder and lightening, but not really any wind. We go out the next morning and guess what??? The tree had broke in half. Now when I say broke in half, I mean broke in half. It was laying on the ground. The girls were devastated. William decided that he would go to the Feed and Seed store to speak with the wise owner and ask if there is anyway to save our tree.

William returned with bad news. The man showed him what was more or less a band aid kit for trees, but said that it only works if they are still attached at least half way. There was no hope for our tree, but to help the girls no feel so sad he went ahead and bought the band aid kit.

We all go outside and put this band aid on the tree. I am amazed that the tree could even break in half because it was so small and thin. It usually would just sway in the wind! After applying the band aid we are all ready to head inside, but Tori asks if we can all pray for the tree. Once again, no big deal, so we do and then head inside. The next day I see Tori and Bri outside with the tree. After inquiring about what they were doing, Tori let me know that they were praying for the tree to be healed. She said that she had learned in church that prayers can heal people with God's power and since He made the tree, He could fix it. Oh dear....

For days, upon weeks, upon months come rain, snow or sun Brianna and Tori would go out and pray for that tree. Well, William, being the awesome man that he is, saw an opportunity for the girls. So he began to pray and I began to pray. We would pray often, "Lord, we know that the tiny faith of a mustard seed will move mountains, but Oh God, please let the faith of these children move this tree. Help it grow like their faith will." William would go out after the girls would come in and pray over this tree. This went on all winter. The tree seemed to be holding on. Over the next year it grew a little and we began to praise God for this. Then over the next four years the tree exploded and grew high. It grew tall and wide and straight. It now shades them as they play in the yard. It hides them went they want and swings them as they play monkeys. It is our faith tree. The girls still talk about their prayers and God's faithfulness growing that tree.

I learned a lot from the tree. Sometimes life feels like you have been broken in half and there is no hope....pray. People will tell you it can't be done.....pray. Our children want to have and show faith....pray. Two or more shall gather....pray. Pray hard, pray often, pray with faith and pray for the hopeless. Just pray!