Trafford Publishing: Be Still and Listen

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Be Still and Listen

by Janice Lake Presgraves

346 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0887; ISBN 1-55395-173-5; US$29.50, C$33.50, EUR24.00, £17.00

Biography of housewife and mother possessing special connection to God. While becoming a Christian she learns to listen to God's inner messages and many wondrous blessings appear.

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about the book about the author excerpt catalogue info

About the Book, as written in Chapter 19

I suddenly came up with an idea and said out loud, "Lord, if I am going to get a piano by Christmas, send a butterfly across my yard. Not a little white or yellow one that I see regularly but a beautiful Monarch, which has been very scarce this year around this area. If I don't see any before I go into the house, then I know I will not get my piano by Christmas and I will stop bugging you."
I felt foolish putting the Lord on the spot. Feeling a little like a spoiled brat, I went on to finish my letter. I was writing away, filling in all the news I could so Burnie would have a lot to read. I knew she waited every week for my letters and word from the nest and the little birds as she called this house and the kids.
I came to a pause and glanced up until I thought of something else to write and I saw a big Monarch floating along. It went from one side of my yard straight across to the other side. My heart skipped a beat. There was my butterfly. While I was watching the butterfly, another came across the same path. Then came another, another, another and then another one. I started to count and had tabulated ninety big Monarch butterflies in less than ten minutes. I was getting a piano by Christmas. Since this was late fall I wouldn*t have long to wait before my prayer came true.

About the Author

Janice Lake Presgraves (Jan) resides in Virginia with her husband of 47 years. Her four children and four grandchildren lives close by.
She has operated Wee Care Christian Pre-School and Day Care for over 40 years.
Besides being mother, wife, child-care provider and author, she is an artist and poet.

Excerpt

excerpt from Chapter 19 Butterflies and Pianos
I suddenly came up with an idea and said out loud, "Lord, if I am going to get a piano by Christmas, send a butterfly across my yard. Not a little white or yellow one that I see regularly but a beautiful Monarch, which has been very scarce this year around this area. If I don't see any before I go into the house, then I know I will not get my piano by Christmas and I will stop bugging you."
I felt foolish putting the Lord on the spot. Feeling a little like a spoiled brat, I went to finish my letter. I was writing away, filling in all the news I could so Burnie would have a lot to read. I knew she waited every week for my letters and word from the nest and the little birds as she called this house and the kids.
I came to a pause and glanced up until I thought of something else to write and I saw a big Monarch floating along. It went from one side of my yard straight across to the other side. My heart skipped a beat. There was my butterfly. While I was watching the butterfly, another came across the same path. Then came another, another, another and then another one. I started to count and had tabulated ninety big Monarch butterflies in less than ten minutes. I was getting a piano by Christmas. Since this was late fall I would have long to wait before my prayer came true.
excerpt from Chapter 21 Healing Momsie
When I got to Mom's house, the poor thing was laying across the sink trying to brush her teeth. I remember thinking, if she was worried about having clean teeth maybe she wasn't as bad off as Aunt Audrey said she was. When she turned around with her white hair and the lines in her face, it hit me all at once, the pained look on her face sent chills through my heart for her. She couldn't lie down because she was in too much pain. She couldn't keep walking because she was too weak. She sat and walked and walked and stand and wrung her hands and held her head.
As she walked, she hung onto a chair for support. I offered to take her to the hospital. She said no, it was her liver acting up again and the medicine the doctor had given her was not working. Her arthritis was the cause of the pain and she couldn't keep a pain pill down. Her liver was making her throw everything back. she told me she had been throwing up for five days. I thought myself, that's Mom. Won't tell anybody anything. She'll suffer it out silently until she can't stand it or gets scared. I begged her again to let me take her to the hospital so the doctor could give her a shot for pain, but she refused. She wasn't having a bunch of doctors poking around her tummy, when it was already sore enough.
I started crying because I could see it was a losing battle and she was too old to fight with her. I also knew I would have to return home to my other family and the guests that were due to arrive for Christmas dinner. She got upset with me when she saw my tears. She had not seen me this emotional since I had left home. She told me if I was going to cry, I could just go back home. That's my Momsie.
We jabbered back and forth while she walked the floor. When she went to the sofa to lie down, the pain was too severe for her to get all the way down. While all of this was going on, I had a strong urge to lay my hands on her and pray. But this was Mom. We just didn't do these things and it would have been embarrassing. I had never laid hands on anyone before and I had never even prayed before mom before, unless it was at a Jesus meeting. I went ahead and prayed for her under my breath was she was half crying and half talking. The laying on of hands urge kept getting stronger and stronger but I kept shrugging it off. At one point I started to say something about the little bowl of flowers sitting on her cocktail table but instead I heard, "Mom, do you want me to lay hands on you and pray for your healing?" Well, it was said now, I couldn't take it back! To my surprise, she threw up her hands and said, "Oh please do something, do anything. I can't stand much more of this." I went over to her and put my hands on her back where she said the pain was the worst. Just being in close contact with her made the tears flow from my eyes and my voice shaky. I prayed something like, "Dear Lord, on this day many years ago you gave us a wonderful gift, your Son. Now Lord, I am asking you for another gift on this day, to give the gift of healing for my Mom. I love her Lord and it hurts me so to see her in all this pain. I am asking for you to take the pain away that is running through her body. Please Lord; heal my Momsie in the name of your Son, Jesus. We give you all the glory and the praise. Thank you Lord, Amen."
When I finished my prayer, she looked up and her face was wet with tears and she said, your hands felt like hot pads on my back. She had a thick chenille bathrobe on and said it was like electric shocks going through her whole body.
I went into the bathroom where I could talk to God a little without Momsie hearing me. I said, "Lord, you know Momsie doesn't believe as strongly as I do and boy this would really be a nice witness for her. You also say in your Bible, if we ask, we will receive and I know you can heal her Lord. I have no doubt so please do." I went back into the living room and found Momsie on the sofa. She had made it all the way down and I could tell she was getting sleepy.
I told her I would go home so she could get some rest and asked her to call me as soon as she woke up. Three hours later she phoned to tell me the pain was gone and she had eaten something and it stayed down. I was so glad for her poor empty stomach. I was thrilled the pain was gone too.
Two days later she hung out a pretty good size wash. Praise God, He healed my Mom. Now I know when He wants me to do something, maybe I'll do it the first time instead of trying to shrug it off. I wished I wasn't so stubborn. Maybe next time I won't sit around and try to avoid the whole issue until He has to put the words in my mouth and I'll be brave enough to use my own tongue.

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