The ProLife Team Podcast | Episode 1 with Lori Devillez | Answered Prayer

Welcome to the pro-life Team Podcast. I am Jacob Barr, the owner of iRapture.com and I am excited to be here with Lori. Lori with Trotter House and we are going. So Lori, welcome i’m glad to see you here.

Lori Devillez :

Thank you great to be with you.

Jacob Barr :

And so we’re today we’re going to be talking to Lori about prayer and how that has instrumentally brought in God’s blessing, invited God’s blessing into her clinic by focusing on a single story of how God’s provision was phenomenal over and beyond. And I and I’ve heard her. I’ve heard Laura i’ve heard you share the story at least twice at conferences and I’ve heard you. I also read it in your book and it’s just such a beautiful story of how you know your faith LED you to prayer instead of just going to Walmart to buy some formula and so I would really enjoy you starting this off by just sharing the story and then we can reflect and talk about it a bit.

Lori Devillez :

Absolutely i always love sharing this story because it truly is that’s what my book is about it’s about there is no explanation but God did it. And this story is definitely one of them. For we had gotten a call from a client and she had called and she said I am in need of formula, desperate need of formula. My baby’s a week old and for the last three days has only had water. Can you help me? We were pretty new at the time we didn’t really have any formula, but I live by. The answer is always yes, unless God says no. So I said sure, come on in. And for me, before I go to do anything, I want to get direction from the Lord. And so I pulled our volunteers together that day and I just said, let’s ask the Lord to provide this formula for this client she’s on the way this baby’s hungry. And we are. We have said we will meet that need do we? What do we do? Do we go buy it? How’s God going to provide it? And I love it that we did that with a group of volunteers, because when I was able to share in the book, many of the volunteers came to me and said I was there that day. But anyway, we prayed, we got in a circle, asked the Lord how should we provide this formula? And God is my witness as soon as we finish praying, this van pulls up. And on the side of it says Travis County Health and Human Services. Now, usually when the health department shows up, it’s not a good thing. So I was began praying again, Lord, what do we do? And went to the door to meet the gal that came out of the van and when I did, she said. I have been meaning to get here for several weeks. I met you at one of the community outreaches, got your brochure, been meaning to come here and I finally made it today do you need formula? And I was just, I mean, right away i’m like, well, we just prayed for a formula you have formula. And she said, yes, I have a van full of formula. And, you know, it’s just neat to see that in that instant as we called upon God. He immediately answered, and in such a way that we know it was only him because she meant to come by many weeks before but made it that day. She had a connection with the post office and when a woman has a baby, the formula company will send a sample of formula. Well, if that person has moved or it’s a bad address or whatever, the formula got returned to the post office. And so they had bins full of formula return mail basically, and they didn’t know what to do with it they actually had been putting it in the dumpster. But this gal, she had the connection and that person at the post office asked her, is there any use that you would have for formula? And then, of course, she connected with us. And i’m here to tell you it’s the loaves and the fishes because. Honestly, she just contacted me last week to let me know there’s more formula Ben’s full at the post office, so God has continued to provide through this very creative way.

Jacob Barr :

That’s such an amazing story. So tell me when you will look back on that time when God answered that prayer and like a goosebump kind of, you know, in a very real and timely and just in an incredible way, what are your thoughts today?

Lori Devillez :

You know, through the years, even since then, and that was like 6 months after we opened and we’re 16 years old now. I think through many of the stories of the Times that there really was no real way to meet the need. But as we prayed and cried out to God and just sought him enjoy, not fear, but enjoy, Lord, here’s an opportunity for you to move and work it’s a little bit like that experiencing God Bible study, where let’s just join God where he’s at work and participate in what He’s doing and so to do that, it’s almost the picture I have of let’s get out of the boat onto the water. And keep our eyes firmly fixed on him and watch what he will do. I think about many stories through the years where there is no explanation but God did it and it He did it in such a way that it you. There’s no doubt it was him. And the timing was perfect in his provision.

Jacob Barr :

How? How would you describe the blessing? Yeah, when it comes to the post office, the formula from the post office coming in. Actually before I go there, I think in your book you wrote about how one of your clients who is being blessed by this flow of formula from the returned items to the post office, how one of your clients needed a certain type of formula i think it might have been do you remember what kind of formula that was and then and how it was provided for a time when your client needed it and then it, and then when your client moved on it, that supply stopped?

Lori Devillez :

Yes, yes through the years I’ve learned there are different kinds of formula. The babies have all different kinds of needs, what their bellies can handle and what their bellies can’t handle. And we did have a client actually we’ve had through the years, there have been several clients, but this particular one I remember. She needed a certain kind of formula there’s a formula called Nutramigen, and it’s for babies that have like, gassy bellies when they eat. And it’s a lot more expensive when you get the specialized formula. And so again, we prayed. If you go to Walmart to buy that particular type of formula, it’s probably 30-35 dollars a can. Babies eat quite a bit, so you can go through those cans pretty quick. And so we prayed and again, when the gal that partners with us said, you know, I can’t make it to the post office, would you mind going to pick up the bin that’s available now? And we went and there was a huge supply of Nutramigen and it continued to come. Until the baby didn’t had grown to not need formula anymore and get on solid food and I’ve seen that there was another client actually a connection from Dallas that we worked with and same thing her she and her husband they were really working hard but the formula was very expensive and he had lost his job and they were struggling and. We just wanted to see how we could help and what do you know? There was a particular kind of formula that she needed because her baby needed a special kind and that’s what we had. And so we actually made a trip to Dallas to get it to her. Because the baby was really hungry, and it continued to be provided until the baby had grown enough to be on solid food and didn’t need it anymore. And then it didn’t we didn’t get it anymore. And I just love that because it shows us a God who. You know, when he says why do you worry you know, the birds, they are fed, you know, and that’s really actually something the Lord taught me through a dog he brought into my life several years ago. I was walking her and she was looking at a rabbit it was down the down the way a little bit and there was a rabbit. We were passing by and she had her focus on that rabbit down the road. And we walked right by the rabbit beside her. And I asked the Lord that day I’ll never forget it, because I said, Lord, what’s this what’s the lesson here? Because of course, she didn’t get the rabbit. And what he showed me is focus on today, not down the road tomorrow, focus on today, because you know what scripture tells us today has enough trouble of its own. But he also told me, but while we’re doing, while we’re having this conversation. I want to encourage you to be like, Airy. Airy was my dog. And like, you want me to be like a dog what are you trying to teach me here? And what he showed me is, you know, dogs live in the moment. Airy never worried about was she going to eat. She knew there was going to be food. She knew she was protected. There was No Fear, no worry. And the Lord really freed me in that. And because the example of the formula shows, not only does He provide, but He will provide the specific things that we need. All we have to do is lay it before him he wants to bless us. He wants to provide. And I want to have always a grateful heart to know that’s where it came from and I’m thankful for it and I’m willing to share with anyone. What God has done and give him the glory for it because it truly is all him.

Jacob Barr :

Yeah it’s amazing how God works in these like in the in the smallest details of the formula story like he is he is throughout all these details he’s throughout the different types of formula that you know the amounts and then like just this over abundant flow of formula over the years like it just seems like a very large it’s like it’s like you know we might consider getting a drink from a small hose and then he provides this hose that will supply you know substance alike to a large group and it’s just amazing how his vision is bigger than the average person’s vision.

Lori Devillez :

Yes and I think the formula story shows us that God wants to provide and he wants us to strategize with him and he wants us to be creative. You know, like we said, I mean. I mean, it was possible we could have gone to Walmart and bought that can of formula, but that’s what it would have been, a can of formula instead of the loaves and fishes that have continued to come through the years. And being creative, Who would have thought to go to a big bin at the post office of returned mail? I sure wouldn’t have. But being willing and being well-being willing, available and obedient are very strategic. Words for me that I’ve learned through the years, if we’re willing, if we’re available, if we’re obedient, even if our attitude is not always right and I can tell you my attitude has not always been correct. I’ve done things and I’ve been willing and but gone with a why am I doing this kind of question or attitude? So I’m really worked on that through the years just to have a joyful heart as he tells us to walk in the joy and the love and the peace. And to stay there, because especially in the world that we’re in now, people recognize it much more quickly. Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I sure have even going to the store, people are much more anxious they’re much more, and that leads them many times to be more angry. And if we don’t respond back with the same attitudes, but we stay in the joy and the love and the peace. That changes the whole atmosphere, and it changes attitudes and it changes hearts. It’s bringing that love. I saw that scripture again this morning first John 4-8 god is love. That’s not something we act that’s not something we try to stay in. That is his being. And if we stay in that heart of being in his presence? A little like you shared, it’s taking a weekend and just going in his presence, that becomes who we are because he’s in US. And as we put more of his word in US and we spend time in his presence, that comes out of us and it impacts our world more powerfully now than I believe ever. And I believe we’re even more. We have even more opportunities to impact our world with that love and joy and peace. I’ve had clients tell me to change their mind on having an abortion simply by having someone to encourage them. And when I hear that, I always ask the question how much does encouragement cost? Just like last week, I had an appointment but a call came in and a client was strongly considering abortion and I took the time then to help with that situation. And I had somebody else say, well, you’ve got an appointment, you need to go and I said, no, there’s a life on the line here. That appointment can wait. And I think when we prioritize and we understand the value of life and what truly matters, it puts everything else into perspective.

Jacob Barr :

Yeah when you when you so God thinking about how God is love. I think him providing formula that meets the needs of special dietary restrictions or just based meeting the need of you know a mom who was giving water to her child because she couldn’t affirm you know afford the formula at the store and how he has. You know, his character of providing formula essentially reflects who he is like as it reflects love it reflects, maybe reflects him providing for people who he cares about and loves and cherishes and I think that reinforces how he what his thoughts are about young unborn babies or newborns and how he cares about them along with caring for all people, but you know, including this very young vulnerable group.

Lori Devillez :

Yes, and I think if we see God in that light. It hopefully will help us to become more vulnerable to him, to mold us more into who he desires us to be. And then in turn as we’re growing and doing that to impact our world. Because when we give people opportunity to know that like I’m working with a gal right now, not really a client, but. She doesn’t understand that, but she keeps coming back to me as to I’m sorry if I offended you or I’m sorry this and I keep sharing with her. You can’t offend me because that’s a choice that I make and it’s like when you’re in line with him and you understand, in being held in the palm of his hand, his provision and protection, as he does for the birds of the air, as he promises us all the promises in his word. That we make a choice if we become offended or not and as the scripture tells us that we are to stay in love out of First Corinthians 13 and the greatest among us will be a servant, I’m not going to allow a fence in. And so people don’t have to worry they can be more of themselves that creates an environment of safety and security that our world especially now. It’s becoming more and more foreign because there’s so much uncertainty, there’s so much anger, there’s so much change happening that if we can create that just in our relationships and our working with people, we can share the love of Jesus so much clearer.

Jacob Barr :

And more people, I believe, will respond this weekend I was talking with a friend and we were on this retreat, you know, listening for God’s voice. And one of the things that he wrote down was that it was OK for him to falter and the word falter, he didn’t even know what it meant when he wrote it down but then, you know, in his mind he would think it meant sort of like falling on Jesus and having shelter from Jesus so like taking like all of those words together form this word of falter and but yeah, essentially, you know, having a safe place to fall and having protection from, you know, so in order to, you know, not to not have fear, you know, because all of us will fall and all of us need shelter. And i think that’s what pregnancy clinics are really good at providing is a safe place to be when you’re falling and to find shelter. And again it just sort of speaks to God’s character for being caring and loving and or being love not loving, ’cause that’s what we try and do but yeah, he actually loves love yeah.

Lori Devillez :

That’s his being that’s right. And I, you know, since we’ve opened, I have, and I’m praying it over my home too, praying Psalm 91 that this would be a place of safety and refuge and peace that all who enter in would know they’ve entered into a presence of love and security. And it’s really cool, ’cause we prayed that every day over the center. And to hear clients, when they come say, you know, I just feel like I’m at Grandma’s house i just feel safe here, I feel. And so it’s neat when you hear clients say that ’cause you know, God is honoring that prayer of the safety and being under his wing.

Jacob Barr :

Yeah, when someone says it feels like grandma’s house like I can imagine Jesus working into their grandma to provide them with love and care and you know, and that reflects who Jesus is, who God is. And like that’s part of our early year stories of having Jesus working in our lives before we even know he’s working in our lives. And as adults we start to, we get to a point where we start to see his working in a clearer way but when we’re children, we really don’t even have comprehension of, you know, of how God’s fingerprints are working through these different people. But we’re benefiting from that, from that work he’s doing.