I was troubled and having a restless night. Tossing and turning, waking and staring at the time on the clock radio. Apparently deep sleep was not going to happen. It was now 2 hours since I crawled into bed to exhausted to sleep, so it appeared!

I had spent the better part of my day struggling with the fact that money was becoming increasingly tight for my struggling business. Deadlines where looming that needed to be met, but that would also mean I had to spend money that was becoming harder to find.

The last 4 years of my life had been devoted to launching my business and the highs and lows were increasing my anxiety daily. I was spending more and more time purposely doing little things to ease my stress such as meditation and focusing on specific business tasks so as not to become overwhelmed. These things certainly helped but I would need to be made of stone not to have the current cash crunch and looming hard decisions not effect me.

4 more weeks were all I needed and I had enough money to last another week. This would mean layoffs, unpaid bills, juggling payment dates and stretching already tight funds to the limit. No wonder I was having active brain syndrome!

In 4 weeks I will have a completed, complex online software application that would have an incredible impact on an industry that by all accounts, needed what I was developing in the worst way. Now so close to completion; I was having financial problems the likes of which could put years of hard work in jeopardy or worse.

I was running out of time and looking at plan A, B and C. Balancing my life was a challenge I needed help with but the buck stopped at me. I often said God wasn’t finished with me yet as a way to explain my sometimes less than saintly behavior but I found prayer to be comforting and my faith in God was something I desperately needed at this critical time. God’s words such as “I will never leave you or forsake you” and “worry not for if God takes care of the sparrows … you are more important to him …etc.”

The last year has been a tumultuous time with business concerns and family health issues front and center. When my father passed a few months ago it seemed things couldn’t get any more out of control. It put my faith to the test and I asked for normalcy in my life; something I craved yet always seemingly out of my reach.

I started praying/speaking to my father thinking he was now in a position to mediate my case with Lord (hey, you do whatever it takes!). My father once gave me a list of motivational messages that he would write down whenever he heard them, mixed in with his own thoughts and the occasional lottery numbers! Recently my wife found these for me while cleaning and set them on my desk. Imagine my surprise when as I read these messages I felt somewhat better about things, less lonely.

Now here I was lying in bed stressing about the day coming up and still not satisfied with the previous day’s results. Breathing deeply I started to meditate and calm my frazzled mind. I prayed to God to give me the strength I needed in the coming days and wisdom, courage and mental resources, business acumen etc. I asked my father for his intercession on my behalf as now he presumably new everything going on in my life.

Laying on my side I suddenly felt the distinct, gentle pressure of a hand rest on my upper back! My eyes immediately opened in surprise, knowing I was definitely not dreaming since I couldn’t sleep if I paid for it! I woke my wife and told her what just happened. She said it was either God or your dad! When my initial surprise subsided I slept for 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep. This hadn’t happened in months! When I awoke I felt remarkably clear and upbeat; like I could handle anything that came my way.  I went to my desk and read again my father notes and was amazed at how differently the messages affected me.

I’ve learned from this experience that regardless of how hard things are for me, there are spiritual occurrences that can’t be explained interceding in my life for my good. I am not alone and that all I need to do is to continue asking for guidance and clarity. That if I keep my faith strong and believe in Gods promises, when I least expect it, my prayers will be heard. My problems won’t suddenly vanish but they will be manageable. God gave me the strength I needed to carry on in the form of a helping hand, probably my fathers.

-Author Unknown