I want to share a story with you that happened more than 30 years ago, one that became a rock to the foundation of my faith and prayer life.

My sons were 3, 5, and 7, and our family found ourselves in a very lean time. As I’m sure many of you have experienced before, this was one of those seasons where there seemed to be more month than paycheck.

One evening, the boys were hungry after playing outside all day, and in much excitement, they came running in the door yelling, “Mom, mom! We’re hungry! What’s for dinner?”

I replied with all the joy I could muster, “It’s a surprise! Go back out and play; I’ll get it ready.”

Honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to get ready. Our pantry was empty. I checked each cabinet to see if there was anything that I could be creative with. Then I double-checked to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. I remember thinking, “We don’t even have potatoes. It wouldn’t be fancy, but I could make something if I had potatoes. And at least it would be filling.”

I heard Holy Spirit whisper to me in His gentle and peaceful way, “Boil the water.”

I stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, half trying to figure out what I would cook and half wondering if I had heard from the Lord. He whispered again, “Boil the water.”

I began to do the only thing I knew to do: I began to pray and I obeyed. I got the largest pot I had out of the cabinet, filled it with water, and put it on the stove to boil. I began to fervently remind Father God that He had to come through, according to His Word, and provide for us in that very moment. Looking back, I think I was reminding myself more than Him.

As I was standing over my pot of water praying, the boys came back in yelling, “Mom, is it ready?”

I replied, “I’m getting it ready now. Go back out and play; it will be just a few more minutes.”

I looked at that pot on the stove and said, “Father, this meal is up to YOU!”

A few seconds later, the doorbell rang, and I went to see who it was. There, sitting on the porch when I opened the door, were two bags full of groceries! And you’ll never guess what was with them—a 10 lb bag of potatoes! I glanced beyond the porch to see if I could identify anyone walking away or maybe hiding to see me open the door, but I saw no one.

I was stunned. I couldn’t believe the miracle I was witnessing! I picked up the groceries and brought them into the house. I cut up the potatoes and put them in the water that was already at a rolling boil. There were onions and ground beef in the bag, so I decided to make Salisbury steak alongside our potatoes. I thanked Father God with my praise and tears of joy the entire time I cooked.

Within 30 minutes, we were all sitting down to a beautiful meal of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy! For me, though, the potatoes were the star of the meal. Isn’t God GOOD?!

You may be at a place in your life where you feel like you’re standing over a stove staring at empty pots, and you need God to come through for you. I want you to remember that it doesn’t matter what you see or feel; it matters what you know. Know this—Father God is faithful to His Word, and He will move according to it! I never let the desperation I was feeling cause me to question God or doubt Him. Allowing any thought other than what the Word of God says would have been detrimental to my faith, and I needed my faith to be grounded as I prayed!

To this day, I still don’t know who brought those groceries or what prompted them to do it, but it doesn’t matter. All I know is that God supernaturally intervened and provided for us according to His Word.  And He’ll do the same for you if you will take a step of faith and believe Him concerning your life.

Prepare to receive what your faith has been hoping for and continue to pray with assurance that you will see it. God is faithful to His Word, and He’s faithful in His love for you!

Do the things you know to do, and do the things He tells you to do.

BOIL THE WATER!