When I start a new journal, before I write any of my thoughts or the details of the days that I don’t want to forget, I cover the first clean, blank space with names.

First are the names of people in need of health. These are followed by families who are still in grief, my friends’ children and grandchildren who are in school, on the mission field, in need of jobs or direction, and lastly continued protection and guidance for various churches and ministries. It’s interesting to go through past journals and celebrate the many prayers that have been answered through the years.

In “The Word for You Today” devotional, I recently read the Old Testament story of Hezekiah, king of Judah, who went a step further in presenting his request to God.

Hezekiah received a disturbing letter from Sennacherib, king of Assyria which basically said, “Don’t trust your God, look at how I have destroyed other countries, don’t think you will be delivered.”

What did Hezekiah do? He immediately went to the temple, put the letter down before God, and prayed, “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. (Isaiah 37: 16,17).”

What did God do? “Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning – there were all the dead bodies!” (Isaiah 37:36).

Do you have any pieces of paper to spread out before the Lord? A bill? Court date? Rejection letter? Job termination? Upsetting email? Any stress-producing piece of paper?

Or maybe you need to get a blank sheet of paper and write down the things that continue to roll over in your mind — the habit you can’t seem to shake, the person whose life you would change if you could, or the situation at work that only seems to worsen.

Now, trust God, stand back and watch Him work.

If you would like a copy of the devotional I read, send me an email.

Ronny Michel may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.