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Move Men through Prayer. - Hudson Taylor

I just heard the best story of faith that I have heard in a long time.

On Wednesday, my husband's 77-year-old cousin Pernina (Per-nine-uh) and her adult son Marty came to visit us. Now, Pernina coming to visit is an amazing story in itself. We have lived in the greater Sacramento area for more than 6 years, and just found out a few months ago that she and her children exist and live close by.

But enough confusing details. On with the story.

Pernina and I were sitting on the couch getting to know each other. I was drinking peach iced tea as any good Southerner would do. She, being of the Western sort, was drinking water. I'm not sure how the conversation started, and I can't remember all the dates and details. But I do remember the faith-a faith to rival any.

It seems that the first time Pernina got married it didn't go very well. Pernina and her husband had gotten a job in a psychiatric hospital in the western United States. The hospital wanted a couple to take on the newly created position of recreation coordinators. When they took the job, they were told an apartment came with the position. The apartment turned out to be a single room with four hospital beds and several big, black leather rocking chairs. Sounds like an interesting first year of marriage. Pernina's husband became a heavy drinker and a little too friendly with the other girls at work. So shortly after baby Marty was born, Pernina took him and moved to the Midwest to live with a brother and his family.

Four years later, Marty is still little, but old enough to realize that he doesn't have a dad. Marty is still little-little enough to believe that anything is possible.

"Mom," he says. "When are we going to get Daddy back so you can stay at home with me?"

"Well, I don't know," says Momma Pernina. "Why don't we pray and ask God to bring him back."

So they did. They prayed every night that God would bring Marty's daddy back.

Pernina's brother said "Don't be teachin' my kids that God does miracles."

Pernina said "YOU tell them God doesn't do miracles."

I hope Pernina's brother never took the time to state his case.

Two months later, another of Pernina's brother from Reno, Nevada phones. "A guy called here looking for you. Do you know anyone by this name?"

She certainly did know someone by that name. The man looking for her was Marty's dad. He had found Pernina! Before the days of directory assistance and the internet-when the world seemed much larger-he had found Pernina.

"I've had a change of heart, Pernina. Will you come back home?"

And when you've been praying for something two months, you certainly don't say no.

So Pernina took Marty back to Reno for her second marriage to her first husband. They had two more children and were married for 29 years before her husband's death. Pernina gave me no impression that their years together were trouble free. (Then I would have known she was making the whole thing up. ) But she did express an unwavering trust in a God who can do what seems impossible. She expressed a faith that believes like a child-a child like Marty who has no reason to disbelieve.

Her faith was so matter-of-fact, like the Centurion in Matthew 8. His son is sick and he comes to Jesus with confidence asking Jesus to heal his son.

"Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel."

But I think I saw a bit of it in Sacramento, California when Pernina told me this story. I saw a faith that said to God "Do this!" And sure enough-He did it!

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

Called To Brokenness