This afternoon I received a phone call from my dad.  He was calling in the Burdge Prayer Squad.  My cousin, (my dad's namesake), Rick Rush is a Marine serving in Afghanistan.  Earlier today his vehicle hit an IED.  One of his men was killed.  Rick sustained life-threatening injuries.  He is being flown to Germany for treatment and we await word.

In so many ways, his accident has nothing to do with us.  I haven't had any contact with him since we were children.  He is serving halfway across the world in a job I can't even fathom.  But in so many ways, it has everything to do with us.  It is serving as a chilling reminder how very connected we all are, whether we realize those connections or not.

Rick's sister, Jennifer, came and visited with us at Dad's house in December.  I hadn't seen her since we were little either.  But since her father's (my uncle's) death in 2008, my Dad has made an effort to strengthen relationships with all of my uncle's children.  In recent months, Dad had been emailing with Rick and his wife, Mindy, and had sent over a care package for him and his men after Christmas.

In talking with Dad over Christmas, I realized that these little cousins I barely remember have grown into impressive adults with admirable careers and families of their own.  And for all of the military folks we know, it hit me that not only do I have friends serving, but I have family over there.  When we got back home I had the impression to get email addresses for Rick and Mindy, maybe find them on Facebook, but I dismissed those thoughts.

Those impressions came rushing back to my mind this afternoon listening to my Dad describe Rick's injuries.  Who knows why the Lord prompted me to contact them?  His accident would probably still have occurred, but perhaps there was some other reason why our association with them would have been important.

Of course we are praying.  I know the Lord is watching over this husband and father and comforting his wife and babies.  But it was a wake-up call for me, yet again, that when the Spirit whispers, I need to pay attention.

The other reminder I had this week of our interconnectedness was the answer to this month's income deficit.  We prayed for that need to be met, but could not fathom how it could be.  And yet, because of those prayers, and because of the humility and obedience of another, the exact amount of money we needed was given to us.




He prepares the way before us.  Not only does He prepare the way 'ahead' of us, but He prepares the way 'before' us -- 'before' the need, 'before' the crisis, 'before' the trial.  He literally has people, resources, protections in place before us.

I am so thankful for the preparations He made on our behalf this week.  I am thankful for an angel on earth who listened to promptings weeks ago, so that we could have what we needed this week.  He is a God of miracles, and I know it is by Him we are led.  My prayer, in addition to those for Rick and his family, is that I can more consistently follow the promptings and reach out when I am asked to do so.