Asking For Elephants

A little girl walked determinedly down the path at the zoo,

Her father close behind, holding her white hooded jacket,
And a sagging balloon, that was trailing low to the ground.



She knew exactly where she was headed,
It had been on her mind since breakfast.
Her father had smiled at her over the rim of his steaming coffee mug.



“You may ask me for anything, daughter of mine,
For I love you and it delights me to give when you come to me.”
Her eyes twinkled as she chewed a mouthful of milk-soaked Cheerios thoughtfully.



When they arrived at the zoo gate, the little girl stood as still as a soldier at attention.
She pointed to a colorful bouquet of balloons,
Large, full, and bumping against each other in the breeze.



“That’s what I want, Daddy. Will you give me a balloon, please?”
Her father smiled and bought her the only red one in the bunch.
“I love you, daughter of mine, and it delights me to give when you come to me.”



They explored exhibits for a while and then took a much needed lunch break.
“Daughter, what would you ask for, if you knew that I could give you anything?”
“I know what I’d ask for, Daddy, but it’s too big.  You'll say no.”



“Try. Push and see if I have a limit.”



She met his smiling gaze with a determined expression in her brown eyes.
“Okay, Daddy. Follow me.”
They stood and she led the way.



When they reached the African Savannah corner of the zoo, she stopped suddenly.
Her finger raised again and pointed at the item she desired.
An elephant, tall, wide, lumbering, and wrinkled.



“That’s what I want, Daddy. Will you give me an elephant, please?”
The little girl extended her small palm toward the elephant,
Ready to receive.



“I love you, daughter of mine, and it delights me to give when you come to me.
This elephant is not too much to ask for, but it is too much for this small hand of yours.
Ask me for the strength you need to hold this gift.”

The little girl held out her other palm, and then stretched her arms as wide as they could go.
Her eyes squinted shut in the effort, her mouth a comical contortion.
“Look now, Daddy. Please give me this elephant.”



“You have a lot of strength, daughter of mine. That is clear to see.
But even ALL of that strength you possess is not enough for this gift in front of you.”
The elephant swayed its long trunk and looked at the little girl’s stretched pose curiously.



The little girl dropped her arms, exhaled, and turned to face her father.
With a skip and a quick sprint, she catapulted herself up into his arms.
She nestled her nose into his neck.



“Daddy, will you make me strong enough to hold this elephant?”
He hugged her tightly.
“Yes, daughter of mine. Now that you are here with me, you are strong enough.”

23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

          – John 16:23 & 24

20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

         -2 Corinthians 1:20-22.

Photo credits:  ell brown,  superhua, Martin Pettitt

Standing in an Answered Prayer

For Desiree - thanks for encouraging me to get back to writing.

In June of 2006, I was finishing a year of teaching English in Nanchang, China. Questions about what life would look like upon returning to America wrapped around me and clung thickly like the southern China humidity. My sending organization held a debriefing conference in Los Angeles before releasing us to our respective homes. Part of some reflection work involved writing ourselves a letter and the organization would mail them six months later. I poured out my heart about lessons learned in China, and filled the back of the paper with hopes for America. I addressed the envelope to my parents’ house, not knowing for sure where I would be living.

By the time six months had passed, I had forgotten about the letter. It was interesting to receive mail for myself, addressed in my own handwriting. I snuggled into my favorite reading chair and read what Past Brooke had to say. It was so encouraging. Sweet memories of students and everyday life rose to the surface. There was a no excuses challenge to not be living a “safe” life but rather, to be getting out in the uncomfortable places, living like Jesus. Nanchang Brooke had prayed to be living with Elisa, teaching with a particular district, and spending lots of time with family (whom I had missed greatly during my time away).

I looked at my surroundings – my peaceful bedroom at Elisa’s house, ten minutes away from my parents and five minutes from my brother and sister-in-law, and realized I was standing in an answered prayer. My job prayer was absolutely true too. Plus, I was teaching the nicest group of kids I’d had in a while. Each hope was answered, not just sufficiently, but abundantly.

So often, I am honed in on the aching, the wanting, and the things I’m praying for but have yet to see. I am in a season of some really sad loss and am yearning for healing. I ache to see God change my current reality. And yet, just like all those years ago at Elisa’s house, today I am standing in an answered prayer.

Here I stand, imperfect and messy, but with both feet firmly planted in today, grateful to my loving God for hearing my prayers.


Thank You, God, that I get to live by Green Lake.
Thank You for a home with beautiful natural light.
Thank You for a walkable community.
Thank You for close relationships with my family.
Thank You for a wonderful job, with an irreplaceable teammate teacher next door.
Thank You for a view of the mountains.
Thank You for almost completely eradicating panic attacks from my life (Oh, how I cried out to God for this
          one. For months and months and months, every time a panic attack cinched my breathing passages
          and made my heart race, TODAY’S REALITY is what I cried to Him for. Bless You, God!).
Thank You for daily freeing me from sugar cravings (a miracle, if you ask me!).
Thank You for giving me the willingness and ability to forgive in places where I wanted to hang on to hurt.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer, or withheld His love from me!

-Psalm 66:20