When I found out I was sick I prayed, specifically, for me not to be just a number to my doctors but for us to be friends. My daughter, Sarah, went with me for my first appointment to my plastic surgeon. Mike went to all of my appointments but he had to be out of town that day. That night we went out to dinner and I saw my doctor having dinner with his wife. I wished Mike could have met him because he was so nice and so compassionate. When he got up to leave I stopped him and asked if could I introduce him to Mike. He and his wife sat right down, in our booth with us and visited. He asked if I knew the manager of the women's hospital because she was in there eating also. Before we left she came over and said she understood a VIP was coming in and she wanted us to have her cell phone number if we needed anything. We were so overwhelmed! It didn't stop there - they continued to be so good to me. Our family continued to see my doctor's family out to eat. It became a joke that neither his wife nor I cooked because we always saw each other out to eat.
I do believe that was an answered prayer. I just had to ask. James 4: 2, "You do not have because you do not ask God." God lined our schedules up just right to make this happen. Jesus instructs us to ‘ask’ in many places in Scripture, so it makes sense that if we don’t have something, it could be because we didn’t ask for it. This doesn’t mean God will always answer exactly the way we want but He will answer the best way for us. He knows us best and has a plan for our life. This may seem like a little thing but for me it ended up being very important and I am so thankful I asked!
First of all we must have faith to receive anything from God. Hebrews 11: 6, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Does this mean that God will give me whatever I ask for? I think it depends on what we are asking for and our motives. 1 John 5: 14-15, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." Does it line up with God's will? Ask God. Psalm 139: 23-24, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
On the morning of my surgery I thought about my doctor and my relationship. We've been friends for almost ten years. We have laughed together and cried together. Now he knows my daughter just as well. I thank God for this friendship and for God answering prayers!