The Summer of 2011

By my total page view indicator, at least 54 people have viewed this blog since July, only to find it had been abandoned.

It was in July that God blessed me by answering one of the most pressing requests I'd ever laid at His feet. He gave me exactly what I'd been praying earnestly for . . . for many months. I was on cloud nine, and praising Him with all my might.

Satan hates a happy Christian. Did you know that? I guess I'd forgotten that little fact, because I was kind of surprised when my bothersome, nagging cough suddenly turned into a debilitating illness. I was afraid to leave the house for fear I'd have a major coughing attack and collapse in a public place. I couldn't sleep at night. I couldn't even sit at my computer and write a blog. I was downing cough drops like popcorn, until they became ineffectual. Three doctor visits over six weeks brought no improvement. The demon of fear even poked it's ugly head into the picture.

It was about then that I received a major blow from my publisher. Through no fault of my own, my debut novel would not be published as a paperback book as contracted. It would be e-published. Because I'd promised many people (probably hundreds) that it would be available "on the bookstore shelves" next year, this deviation from the contract was devistating to my pride, my credibility . . . my very soul.

Rightly or not, on the advise of several friends in the industry, I quietly opted out of the contract without causing a fuss. But my heart lay sodden in my chest and I lost all interest in even trying. I dropped out of FaceBook, never once clicked on my blog, and even got off internet for a while.

Then several serious financial issues arose involving loved ones, which I won't relate lest I break a trust. Suffice it to say, the summer and early fall of 2011 broke my heart and my spirit.

I've said all that to say this: Satan doesn't want my books to be published. They give God all the glory and expose the devil and his imps for what they really are.

But God is faithful. Another publisher has expressed an interest in my novels. And I just found out that two of my short stories and several of my poems are slated for publication. Glory be to God.  He will always be victorious. Satan never has . . . and never will . . . win a battle against our God.

In every story there is a turning point. And I'd like to relate to you where the breakthrough came for me.

I have my best times with the Lord early in the morning, before the world starts making its demands on me. At my lowest ebb I awoke one morning with tears in my eyes and the Lord's name on my lips. I confessed to Him that I didn't know where to go from here. I felt like I was at the end of my rope. "Help me," I cried. "Help me climb out of this pit of despair."

A song popped into my mind. A secular love song, of all things. A favorite of mine from childhood. Most of my younger friends have probably never heard it. I laid in bed and delved into my mind to bring forth the words. When I did, I realized God can use even a secular song to comfort a broken-hearted child. They were His words of choice to me, in my hour of distress.

The name of the song is "Always" And the words go like this:

I'll be loving you, always. With a love that's true, always.
Things don't go as planned? Need a helping hand?
I will understand, always . . . always.

Days may not be fair, always. That's when I'll be there, always.
Not for just an hour. Not for just a day. Not for just a year.
But always.