Devotionals for the Heart: Lost Keys, Prayers and God's Protection

The Lost Keys
A devotional by Heather Martin

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

God hears our prayers and answers for our good.

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand why God answers the way He does and in the timing that He chooses, but we just need to trust that when our prayers aren’t answered when we expect, God is protecting us and it will be for our good.

I had to believe this on a morning when my sweet husband misplaced his keys! Now he often misplaces his keys, wallet, and I.D. for work. I joke with him that if he had a place to put all these things, like a man purse, this problem might be solved! Surely if I didn’t have a purse or place to house all of my things I might lose them more often too.

Anyhow, we usually whisper a prayer and locate those keys before he has to go to work, but not today! We looked right up until the last minute and those keys would not turn up. We prayed the whole time and I don’t know why they didn’t just turn up like usual. Frustrating, yes! But we both hopped in my school bus, I mean my truck, (it just feels like a bus since I drive four kids around every day) and headed to drop him off at work. I came home and searched high and low for those keys, I mean I looked every possible place you can imagine, and my Mom even helped me to tear the house up, still no keys. In my head, I would find those keys and have my Mom follow me to his job to drop off his car so he could be free to come home at his leisure. No such luck!

The last time he lost his keys, God impressed us to look in the garbage just before it was going to be picked up, and there were his keys! Surely if God could show us where those keys were then, He would certainly help us find them before the day was over. However, we still couldn’t find them all day! It was time to pick him up from work and I was disappointed to tell him that God had not answered our prayers to find the last set of keys we owned to his car. We would have to spend a couple hundred dollars to replace that set of keys!

When we finally reached home again, I was cooking dinner and I whispered a prayer in my head to help Colin find those keys, let him wake up in the morning and be on his chest, I prayed. No sooner than I finished this thought, Colin walks into the kitchen holding his keys! Wow! That was a quick answer! Had God just gotten tired of us asking and begging Him all day and just said, “Alright, alright. Let me let help him find those keys now. He’s suffered enough!”

My husband’s keys were hiding in a box that I don’t think any of us would have thought to look in (courtesy of one of our loving kiddos)! It was only God’s grace that allowed my husband to look in a small box that a toy came in to find his keys. A box that should’ve been thrown in the trash!

I believe that God was protecting Colin from something that day. He was looking at the bigger picture, looking into the future, like only He can and changing it for his good. I believe he was stopping something that could have been tragic. It was no coincidence that those keys would not turn up until we were all at home safe and sound.

When we get to heaven, I can’t wait to ask God why He wouldn’t let Colin find his keys to drive his car to work on June 3, 2017. I trust God. I believe that He hears every prayer because He does. We may not understand the ways or timing He chooses to move in, but we can have peace knowing that we have a Heavenly Parent (God) who is looking out for our best. We can rest assured that our Heavenly Father knows best.

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Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University. 

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

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Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm