The Little Cloud That Revealed God’s Grace

Sometimes, I think God answers prayer because we ask Him faithfully and earnestly. That’s what happened the day my husband broke his promise—just in time for us to go to the Gather Vocal Band concert.

I know—it’s just a concert. It sounds so silly talking about it now. But for me it felt like my insides lurched—excitement one moment, distress the next.

At the time, I was thirteen weeks pregnant with my firstborn. I was working as a paraprofessional for a middle school, and I was off for the weekend. My husband was supposed to be off too—”supposed” being the keyword. In fact, he bought tickets for us to go to a Gather Vocal Band concert without asking me first. In my mind, there was no way he was going to leave this commitment.

You see, in the past, my husband has struggled with a lack of follow-through. Whatever he said he was going to do, there was only a very small chance that he would actually do it. But these tickets were already paid for, so we were absolutely going—at least I thought. I was excited to go because it was a unique way for us to spend time together, go on a date, and have a little fun. I wasn’t the one who needed Gather Vocal Band on repeat, but I knew I’d still enjoy the night—because it was his excitement, and it was time together, that would make my evening.

Then, that morning—before the day could find its rhythm—it happened. “Sorry, Honey, I have to work. It’s just not going to happen this weekend.” He continued to let me know that he would send me with his mom “or something.”

Are you kidding me?! To say I was distraught was an understatement. This was supposed to be our evening, and now you’re bailing because you want to make a few extra dollars?! I only wanted to go because you wanted to go and it was something that we could do together! Now, you’re going to send me to a concert for a band I don’t even care about with your mom?

At the time, my husband worked at a co-op harvesting wheat. He worked long hours and weekends, and the overtime pay was what he lived for. The only thing that forced all operations to come to a halt was… rain.

The wheat had to be dry for harvest, and if it rained, it simply couldn’t be put away. Rain would have sent everybody home—including him. But rain was not on the forecast for this particular day. In fact, it was completely dry and totally sunny, not even a cloud in the sky.

When he left, I cried. He broke a promise, again. I was now going to a concert I didn’t care about with his mom “or something,” and I was home alone aimlessly trying to find a purpose. I couldn’t think straight. I was so fixated on this situation. On the abandonment. On our “unexpected” change in plans. On the broken promises.

“What would it take for you to come home?” I queried.

“Rain is all that would do it, I’m afraid. But not a chance of that today.”

My heart broke. I prayed to God.

“Oh, God, I’m hurting. I had my mind set that tonight was going to go one way, and now it’s going another. I don’t understand why it has to be this way. I was so excited about the time we were going to spend together. But, again, he’s gone, without even a second thought to it. Why does my marriage have to be like this, Lord?”

I prayed all morning and all afternoon. I couldn’t think of anything else, and I had no one else to talk to.

“God, I know that you can send rain. Father, please, I know there isn’t a chance of rain in the slightest today, but You can do all things. I know that, if You wanted to, You could form a cloud right over the field and send just enough rain to send him home. Will You, Lord?”

I begged God for rain, I cried, and I prayed unceasingly. I checked the weather every minute. I even sang songs about rain. I did nothing else all afternoon, I couldn’t, as I longed for my husband to return and for us to be able to spend an evening together. I waited anxiously.

God heard my wailing, He saw my tears, and He felt my hurt. Whatever the reason, that day, He answered my prayer.

It happened slowly but surely, and just in time for my husband to come home and for us to keep our original evening plans.

As I watched the weather for my husband’s location, out of nowhere came a small chance of rain that continued growing… and growing—until it grew into something real! A cloud formed right over the wheat, and the first drops fell—just enough to halt the harvest and send everyone home.

I was so awestruck by the power of God; it was a moment I will never forget. He literally formed rain out of nothing right in the exact place and in the exact amount it needed to be so that my husband and I could spend an evening together. He answered my prayers right before my eyes.

For with God, nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37 KJV

This happened on November 3, 2018. When it happened, I wrote it down in the “Notes” app on my phone. Here’s the exact memo I jotted down that day and a photo we took that night at the concert: