I prayed and God answered

And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.  – 1 Samuel 1.26-28

This is a very special verse to me.

The story goes back to late 1954 in Fairbanks, The Alaskan Territory. My mom and dad were living at Ladd AFB where my dad was a young American soldier. In the winter of 1954 she discovered that she was pregnant.

She really wanted a son. She had just read the story of Hannah. So she decided to pray and she told God that is He gave her a son she would dedicate him to the Lord. A few months later I was born and for a while that was the end of the story. I knew nothing about it.

Fast forward to January 1992. I had just sat through my ordination council and approved to be ordained to the gospel ministry the next day. My dear mother came up in tears and told me this wonderful story. ‘I remembered Hannah’s story,’ mom said, ‘I prayed for a son and told God I would dedicate my son to the Lord to be a preacher. I prayed for that every day. Today God answered.’

‘I prayed and God answered’ was not just for Hannah. It was for my mom, and it is for all of us.