The Marble Jar

Quite a few years back I read a story in a magazine about a women who used a marble jar to demonstrate to her children the power of prayer. Whenever she had a need for an answer to a prayer (usually something big) she would get out a mason jar, and a package of marbles. Every time she prayed about this particular request she would drop a marble in the jar. She also asked her family members to help her, each time someone said a prayer for this request they also would drop a marble. She said through this faith the answer always came before that marble jar became full!
I thought what a great example to show my children. So, I went to the dollar store and bought a bag of marbles, found a mason jar and began my mission. We were trying to sell our house at the time and needed to....It fell out of contract not once but twice, each time as we were packing, it was such a disappointment! We were getting a little desperate so out came the marble jar. I seriously gave it to God. Told Him I needed that house sold and that I could no longer handle the situation and put it in His hands. I told my husband and kids and told them to also pray about the house and if they did to drop a marble in the jar...you know the answer. We sold that house before that jar was full! And it wasn't the marbles, those were fun and a symbol, but the faith! We had faith and truly put it in His hands. Since then, I have only used the jar on very few occasions. Last Sept. I was looking for a job, with the situation of the economy and jobs scarce, I was having a hard time. Then I remembered the marble jar. Took it out, started really praying and giving it to Him....you know what happened, I don't think I had over ten marbles in that jar...a job!
So, here we are, in a pickle, Mike in Fort Worth, me here. Can't sell the house without losing. Maybe we should rent it. We have until July 1st before we have to start paying for a place in Fort Worth. We decided maybe we should rent the house here in CO. But I was so not wanting to, I kept praying about it, we still had not pursued it, no advertising, etc. Then my neighbor calls out of the blue, I may have someone to rent your house, are you interested? I still am in denial, well maybe. We let them look at the house, but then didn't hear back. You guessed it, out came the marble jar...God what do you want us to do? Sell, stay, rent, exactly 10 marbles later...our house is rented. It's Faith. It's finally trusting fully in God's will for us. We need to let it go and give it to Him. I have a hard time doing this. I always want to control the situation myself...why? Complete faith, and giving it to Him, that's when the answer comes. If you are in a place where you are struggling and don't know what to do, let it go, give it to Him, its in his hands anyway. If you need a marble jar get one.