Preparing for Answered Prayer.

Faith, Imagination, and the Quiet Work of Getting Ready for What We Hope For.

Some prayers are loud. We cry them out. We write them in journals, whisper them in church pews, carry them in long walks and sleepless nights. Others are quiet — barely spoken, more like longings. We don’t always know what to say, but we feel the ache of waiting. And sometimes, in those waiting spaces, we begin to wonder: What does it mean to prepare for the thing we’ve been praying for?

This is the question we — Cathy Ben-Ameh and Sae Abiola — found ourselves returning to in a conversation that started on Substack. Two Nigerian women, one living in the UK, the other in Nigeria, who had never met in person but instantly connected over shared thoughts on faith, womanhood, and the quiet courage it takes to hope.

What began as a conversation about natural beauty and identity became something deeper. A reflection on readiness. On preparing for the good things we long for, even when they seem far away.

Cathy:

I remember dreaming for years about having my own place. Not just a room, not just surviving, but a home. After years of house-sharing, cohabiting, couch surfing, and even living in hostels and hospital rooms, I was finally handed the keys to my own flat last December.

But long before that happened, I had already started preparing. I picked out curtains on Amazon. I bought a key holder. I made a new budget template for a life I didn’t yet have. Looking back, it wasn’t about being practical. It was about believing. I was making space — physically and emotionally — for the life I was praying for. In a way, my faith said yes before the world did.

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Sae:

That story gave me chills. There’s something holy about preparing before the answer comes. It’s not always easy to do. Sometimes I say I’m waiting, but if I’m honest, there are still places inside me unsure it’ll actually happen. I’ve been asking myself: If the door opened today, would I be ready to walk through it?

That question is the beginning of preparation. Not just doing more, but softening. Trusting. Creating room in your life and heart. I’ve come to believe that preparing for answered prayer isn't just about what we do — it’s also about how we become. Sometimes we need to unclench our fists, to imagine something good, to let go of our fear of disappointment.

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What if imagination is part of prayer?

There’s a piece of scripture in Ephesians 3:20 that says, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...”

It’s one thing to ask. But how often do we dare to imagine? To picture joy. To rehearse peace. To see ourselves stepping into answered prayer with confidence and grace.

Imagination is not a childish act. It’s faith in motion. It’s a sacred stretch of the heart that says, “God, I trust You enough to start building the life I prayed for, even before I see it.”

But what does preparation look like, really?

Sometimes it’s buying the curtains. Other times it’s going to therapy. It might be learning how to receive love without suspicion. Or rearranging your schedule to make room for the new job. Or deciding that, this time, you won’t sabotage your own joy when it finally arrives.

It could be emotional. Letting go of shame. Letting yourself feel worthy. Loosening the grip of control and fear. It might even mean confronting the part of you that flinches at the thought of goodness because you’ve learned to live on edge.

Sae:

Preparing for love, for example, has looked different for me than I imagined. I’ve never been one for false lashes or heavy makeup, and sometimes I wonder if that’s “enough” — will someone love my morning face, my realness? But I keep coming back to the belief that beauty shouldn’t cost us our peace or our identity. I want to be seen and loved as I am.

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Cathy:

Yes. Sometimes I think about a future partner and panic — Will they accept me fully? Will they like my natural self? But I’ve learned that preparation isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming comfortable in my skin so I can welcome love without fear. The right person won’t be thrown off by morning breath or undone hair. They’ll be drawn to the authenticity, the quiet strength, the vulnerability.

Preparing for answered prayer is not a performance. It’s alignment.

It’s saying, “Yes, I believe,” not just with words, but with your posture. With how you live. With how you plan and love and heal. It’s making decisions today that your future self will thank you for — not out of desperation, but out of trust.

And here’s the thing: sometimes answered prayer doesn’t come in the form we expect. It might be slower. It might stretch us. But when we’ve done the inner work, we’ll recognize it. We’ll be ready. Because we’ve already started becoming the version of ourselves who can hold the blessing.

So, what are you waiting for? And more importantly — are you preparing?

Maybe this is your invitation to start. To imagine again. To believe that good things are not just possible, but promised. Not because we earned them, but because God is kind. And in His kindness, He teaches us not just to wait, but to wait well.

If you’ve been praying, don’t just hold your breath. Set the table. Make room. Buy the curtains. Build the budget. Clean the heart.

Because one day soon, the door will open. And when it does, may you find yourself already standing at the threshold, ready to walk in.

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Let us know — how are you preparing for answered prayer?

With love,

Cathy & Sae

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