We were eating dinner after church Sunday night and talking about our friends, the Atchisons. They are pursuing adoption (you can read the beginnings of their adoption story in their blog here), but a car accident this past week seems to be a set-back in the “adoption-funding” process.
I was expressing to Daniel my sadness that their car was totalled, and Mara was trying to understand. So we told her that their car was broken–so broken that no one could fix it, and they would have to buy a new one.
After this, Mara became very quiet the rest of the meal. Finally she said, “I’m so sad about the little car.”
I sympathized, “We are too, sweetheart.” Maybe it was too much for a two-year-old to bear! 
After dinner, she was still walking around sadly, and when I asked her what was wrong, she again repeated, “I’m sad about the little car.” I was surprised because that conversation was lonnnng past! Maybe I had been too dismal and negative about it earlier.
“Mara!” I said. “God is going to provide what they need. He will provide a car for Tara and Alan! We just have to wait and see how He is going to do it.”
Right away, Mara said, “Let’s p’ay [pray] about it.”
So Daniel, Mara and I stopped right there in the kitchen and prayed together that God would provide them a car somehow.
After the prayer, I told Daniel that my thumb was really hurting (I have had incessant eczema issues since 1993, particularly on my thumb and forefinger these days).
Mara (not understanding my medical history but believing in God) insisted. “God will heal your thumb, Mommy! God heal my fingers.” She held up two fingers with a sincere smile. “These two fingers! He heal them!”
I wanted to cry. She was sooo concerned about her two fingers (which had minor scrapes) a couple of weeks ago. I promised her that God would heal them. And He did.
She is learning that God is the Healer.
Now she is learning that He is the Provider too.
At bedtime we always pray. Tonight she said, “P’ay about we went to the park.” So we thanked God that we could play at the park, and that Daddy could come too. We thanked God that we could go to church and nursery and learn songs about God. Right before I said “Amen,” Mara again requested, “P’ay about the little car.”
So I prayed confidently, knowing God will provide and thanking Him in advance. Then I said, “Amen.”
Spontaneously my precious little Mara piped up one last time, “And I love you, God!” she declared happily.
I had to fight back tears. It was a beautiful thing–my daughter expressing genuine heartfelt love for God!
I’m beginning to see more and more of the child-like faith in little Mara. It convicts my heart. I pray that that “mustard seed” will continue to grow.
