21 FLOORS OVER NOVO - Do you believe in Miracles?

(Jeremy writing.)

I spoke with our coordinator this morning and she told me she is worried the passport agency will not grant Varvara's passport because of the 30 day waiting period. Yes, yes, yes, I can hear all of you..."but I thought the judge waived the waiting period". SHE did and Varvara is legally ours, but the passport people have not granted the passport very often in such cases.....SO...we need a miracle.

We would appreciate one more specific prayer on Varvara's behalf that her passport may be approved on Monday . That's it! I believe in Miracles and also believe my Heavenly Father knows what's right for my family and trust in him.

So, here we are, closer than ever to bringing home one our Father in Heaven's choicest spirits. We have seen many miracles that have gotten us this far and been the grateful beneficiaries of much prayer and fasting. We humbly thank you.

This morning I was doing some inspirational scripture study and came across a talk given by Elder Larry W. Gibbons in one of our church's Semi-Annual General Conferences back in 2003. The title of his talk was Do you Need a Miracle? After starting with a funny/cool story that you'll have to read he lays out what is needed to see miracles in our lives.

I love this scripture from the Book of Mormon; “And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles” (Morm. 9:19).

“And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God” (Ether 12:18, emphasis added).

He then states: But do you believe in miracles in your own life? You should. There is no reason not to believe.

Next he talked about gaining confidence. Having confidence that Heavenly Father will do what he says he will do:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) taught that faith requires assurance that God will hear our prayers and answer them. No person can have this assurance when he knows he is not living in the way the Lord wants him to live. This is another key element in bringing about miracles. Faith requires repentance. Miracles require faith. So miracles require repentance. Therefore, faith and repentance (which result in righteous living) are the means by which miracles come into our lives.

Are there miracles you desire in your life?

Do you hope and pray you can overcome a habit that has a strong hold on your behavior? Live as you should, work hard at the things you know will help, leave it in the Lord’s hands, have faith, and expect a miracle.

Finally he address the Lords timing:

Now remember, the Lord’s timetable may be different from yours. As Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says, “When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives gentle promptings. These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act. Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once. More often it comes a piece at a time without the end in sight” (Ensign, Nov. 1989, 32).