I have to say thank you again to you who read this blog. It must take an extraordinary amount of patience, considering my schedule for posting is…well, just about once a month. I am so grateful that you are willing to hang in there with me and encourage me in my continued blog therapy.

Speaking of publishing, a certain husband of mine recently sent a certain manuscript of his to a certain publisher. Wow. What a feeling of relief and accomplishment – I’m not sure which of us is more grateful! Our celebration was a bottle of wine at home. Doesn’t get more wild and crazy than that…

This thesis feels like a child – we have poured money, energy and several years of our lives into its birth, growth and success. And now it seems God is blessing all that work and rewarding our labors. It will probably take a few months before the first million dollars comes rolling in, but we’re patient people. We can wait.

I am very grateful for this success, given us while we’re living in our Valley of the Shadow and living in the Valley of others. Several dear friends have been hit recently by severe tragedy. Mourning with them has felt like the most natural thing in the world. But the many and varied reminders of the Enemy’s grip on this world can feel disheartening.

A friend of mine recently reminded her son in my hearing that he has no concept of how much grace and mercy daily preserves and protects and shelters him. He was complaining about some triviality that I can’t remember. Her words have been echoing over and over in my mind since then. Why am I any different from that young guy? I feel the blows and waves and shocks of life in a broken world and I reel from them, crying out in pain or discouragement. But I have no idea how strong is the mighty Grace that shields and protects me from the Enemy, moment by passing moment.

Sometimes when I pray for mercy I have to fight back fear – I have already consumed so much mercy. Surely one of these days my quota is going to run out. I know so little about the Person of my God, who will sustain and protect and preserve all the way to the Jordan and beyond.

“The eternal God is your dwelling place. And underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deut. 33:27)