The Final Piece

In 2011, a big, dark man on a downtown park bench yelled out to my husband, "I'm homeless, there's a lot of homeless people down here and someone needs to write our stories." He was an answer to a six month prayer of mine. I went to meet Greg the next week-end and he stole my heart. We became a team, he introducing me to many of the homeless in our town and I wrote down whatever they wanted to say. A veil was removed from my eyes and I began to see more.

This is also a story about the power of God and if we would just step out in obedience and leave the outcomes up to HIM, the glorious things that can happen. He took an ordinary housewife with no writing experience at all and moved me with passion to start learning. I poured over writing web sites for hours and hours over days, months, years. A wonderful proofreader and my husband helped.

STOP RIGHT HERE. . .

Now let me move you to just an ordinary day. . .NOT!

I got up the other morning to run errands in town. I had been told there was a homeless lady sleeping in her car in a certain parking lot. I decided to go see if I could find her. I did. I wrote down information on a piece of paper and just wanted to talk with for a few minutes and handing her the information. As I approached her car, a very loud, vicious sounding dog inside was going ballistic from seeing me. Her car was dead so she could not roll down her window to take my slip of paper, so she opened the door just a little. But this dog's huge head was so strong that within seconds he whipped around her pushing the door open more and took a bite out of my finger.

Blood went everywhere, I start to feel nauseous and faint. I managed to tell her to call the numbers I gave her and they could help. I went back to my car, called my husband and he rushed over to me from work and took me to the Urgent Care Clinic. While I am in the back office with two nurses and a doctor working on my wound, my cell phone rings and I see it is the publisher I had sent my manuscript to. I answered and he said he would like to talk about my book. I laughed and said I would love to but it really wasn't a good time. I explained to him what happened and he asked if I thought I could be ready to Skype with him 3 hours from then. You know I was sure to be home by then!

Three hours later I'm sitting in front of my laptop, praying and trying to settle my stomach down. The doctor had given me a tetanus shot which was making my arm hurt, my wound was stinging and the antibiotics they gave me to take was messing with my stomach. Just as I felt a peace come over me, the phone rang and the publisher comes on to let me know my book will be published!!!

As he is telling me, BOTH of my boys walk into the house. If you've known me for long, you will know why that meant so much to me. Both sons of mine and I celebrated the wonderful news together and my oldest hugged me and said how proud he was of me. My heart was just about to burst!

SO. . .

2 1/2 years after beginning a book,  I'm floating on cloud nine, praising my Savior all the day long, dog bite and all!

The book will not be called a feel good read. It is full of sad stories but there are also inspiring messages between the lines. I have grown so much through this process and I'm pretty sure that was one of God's goals,  ;)

From day one I have told you all that I felt God was handing me puzzle pieces and over time, I could see they were all fitting together but I did not know what picture was going to come out. I did not even know for a long time, what this puzzle was going to be. As more and more time went by, I began to see in my mind how this final puzzle piece might look and I prayed my hearts desire to the Lord for this, but I always ended the prayers with, "Your will be done." Because as Christians, that is the goal, is it not? To have HIS will be done and for all glory to be for Him. That is my desire and my prayer.

God handed me the final puzzle piece and I would like to share it with you. . .

(It will be out sometime in the beginning of new year)

There are so many others out there with not a book to their name who are much better writers than me. This just goes to show that phrase I say so much is true. . .

God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

 

He is calling you. He calls all of us. If you have heard and stepped out, great!

If you haven't because you are scared, please don't be. I do understand. It can feel risky. We think about failing. Let this story encourage you.

Where God calls, He will be there with you to provide what you need.

Start taking the risk. Grab hold of those puzzle pieces He is handing you.

I can't wait to see what your picture looks like!

Ya know what I'm say'n?