It's just a number ... THREE ... or is it?

On March 10th, somewhere in Ethiopia, a new rule went into effect by MOWA (Ministry of Woman's Affairs).  This is the agency that writes each letter of recommendation needed for families and children to pass court ... and be woven together legally as a family!  They have stated they would be writing far less letters and since the announcement a week or so prior, we have all been on our knees in prayer!

When I first got the news, we put together a prayer calendar and asked that each working hour in Ethiopia would be filled with someone here praying.  Meetings would be taking place that would impact the future of many children's lives.  Because so many hours were during our night,
I asked the Lord to awaken me when he needed me to pray ... Ethiopia is working when we are sleeping and I knew this was the critical hours.  How could I pick?

What time has he awakened me each night?  3:23!

Two nights ago the craziest thing happened.  He awoke me again at 3:23 and as I sat straight up in my bed I was being summoned to pray.  So pray I did!  I fell back to sleep shortly later only was disrupted again.  As I looked at the clock it was STILL 3:23.  So, being summoned a second time, I prayed again.  I fell back to sleep and shortly later I was awakened AGAIN!  What time was it?  3:23!  I didn't ask or question what was going on in my sleepy eyed state, but I remember thinking how odd this was.  Was time standing still?
Ever seen the movie Ground Hog day?  That was my night.  Every time I went to "sleep", I was awakened at 3:23, summoned to pray and then I prayed.  Over and Over and Over and Over and Over!

When I finally awoke in the morning I was confused!  Then, as I sat processing the night it dawned on me (or maybe the Lord spoke to me).  The first time I awoke it was indeed 3:23.  He summoned and I prayed.  When I fell back to sleep ... he didn't "wake" me again into a literal wake state.  No, all night long, like the movie "Ground hog day", he replayed the first time in my head, in my dreams!.  BUT ... just as sure as I was "awake" each time  ... I was praying ... in my sleep ... in my dreams he had me praying!
Does that make sense?  In my dreams, he was awakening me at 3:23 and was calling me to pray.  So I did.  I prayed ... again, and again and again.  Only each time, it was 3:23 on that clock.

As I shared this on my yahoo group with the ladies I just wanted to share that the Lord was waking me to pray at 3:23.  That time in the morning here is 12:23 in the afternoon in Ethiopia.
To my surprise, the board began to to be lit up with these responses:

"I woke up at 3:35 and was awake for about an hour to pray"
"I have been waking up at the EXACT time (not kidding) every morning this week"
"Ladies ... I too have been woken up between 3:30 and 4:20 every day since we received our referral"
"CRAZY!  Or should I say DIVINE!  God has been awakening me between 2 and 3 NIGHTLY this week"
"So cool to see God working.  Apparently my designated prayer time is 4:00am Eastern Time.  (I'll add, Yes, that is 3:00 am Central time) to pray".

Some may call that all a coincidence, but I do believe God has called us when and how to pray.  Apparently, the 3:00 o'clock hour (12:00 pm hour in Ethiopia) is an important one!

March 10th also marked the THREE month wait for our referral.  Today, I decided to google the meaning of the number "3".  This is what I found ... seriously .... I think I love the number THREE!

Three, therefore, stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire.

All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number three.

God's attributes are three: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence - seriously my favorite!

There are three great divisions completing time--past, present, and future.

SO, Lord, I'll meet you again tonight ... at 3:23!