Friday, December 31, 2010

A SMALL MIRACLE to START the NEW YEAR

I’m a scaredey-cat. I suppose one could call it an anxiety issue, but each New Year as I start out, I’m the glass-half-empty person. Even though the Lord blessed my socks off this past 2010, I worry about the future.

I prayed about it yesterday morning---confessed my fear as a lack of belief in the Lord’s goodness---and not 2 hours later a small miracle happened. It’s amazing how kind God is. He rewarded my honesty by assuring me that He will take care of me. He will take care of my loved ones. I don’t need to be afraid of 2011. Here’s how I know:

One of the blessings of being published by a traditional but small press is that WhiteFire is allowing me to contribute to the front cover of my debut novel. If the photos turn out well, they’ll send them to their designer. So I found a model, a beautiful young woman who just happens to be my birth daughter. How serendipitous can you get?

I began to hunt down the costume for my character, Abby, as she arrives in India at the end of WWI. A lady from church loaned me a gorgeous straw boater hat which fits the era. In a second hand store I found a wide collar blouse that also fits the period. And I was pretty sure my calf-length, beige linen skirt would complete Abby’s 1918 ensemble. But when I looked for the skirt in my closet, I couldn’t find it.

Then I remembered I’d given away a ton of clothes this past year when we moved house. I’d stuffed that skirt into one of any number of charity boxes.

So yesterday morning I prayed about my worries for the upcoming year, including the front cover for my book.

I trudged out of my house, planning on buying material and a pattern at the mall. On the way, the thought popped into my mind to check the second hand store. As I parked the car I prayed again, Lord please help me find the right skirt.

Not 5 minutes later, halfway down the skirt aisle I stopped. There was my skirt---the very skirt I’d given away 6 months ago. I could buy it back for only $9.99.

At the checkout counter I told my story to the girl.

“Impossible,” she said. “It can’t be your skirt. We only keep stock for 4 weeks.”

I looked at the skirt. It had the faint blue ink spot I’d put close to the knee. But it also had a smudge of dirt and a tea stain that I had not put there. But it was my skirt, even to the extra button still in its plastic wrapper at the back. This was my skirt.

I don’t know how the Lord did it. Did he hide it away in the shop so no one would buy it for 6 months? Or had someone bought it, wore it a few times, and then also given it up?

All I do know is, God the Father cared enough about me to ease my worries over a simple skirt, because He cares about my novel’s front cover. He cares for me.

And He cares for you.

John 16:33 Jesus said,"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

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