Planning a New Hope

I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, New Living Translation)     The message being proclaimed that many will have to rethink how they make a living and how their future might look made me wonder. Did those who are scrambling to make sense of their lives once have hopes and dreams that were lost in living. These thoughts took me back to a young me.               “You’ll never write a book!” The man screamed.   Shock, and humiliation surged through me, but my determination lingered.   Two weeks later our small writing group of four traveled to San Antonio to what would be my first writer’s conference and writer’s contest. On the last day of the session as we all gathered together to hear those lucky contest winners, hope soared that my name would be among the ones announced. The only person from our writing group to receive any recognition was another woman ...

Where Are You God? I Need You Now! “God, I don’t know what to do. Please help me.” I cried out. There was no assurance that all would be well, nor was there a discernment He was leading me in a particular way. I felt totally alone. It all started about 8:00 p.m. when my dog uncharacteristically barked continuously as a neighbor and I stood out in the back yard talking. She soon left and Toby lay down on the dining room rug, I thought, to sleep. Watching him, though, it was apparent by his panting and the stiffening of his leg something was terribly wrong. “Lord, what do I do?” There seemed to be no leading, except I felt strongly that I didn’t want to take him back to the emergency room, so I called friend who learned from her father, a veterinarian, about sick animals. She gave me much-needed information. But nothing seemed to work. “Oh God, where are You when I need You.” Curiously, around 11:00 p.m. I knew I had to now take him to the emergency room Though Toby was immediately...