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Don’t know about you, but I’m scrambling to get all my holiday chores finished in time. What else is new? Right? Yeah, like many of you, I often find myself running late with everything this time of year and when that happens, it’s easy to miss out on the truly important things. Things like our kids wanting some affection or helping someone in need.

How many times have we all found ourselves in a fog as we rush down a road or highway and in an instant our distractions cause us to miss a sign or turn? Likewise, our own personal distractions, foggy spiritual focus and fears can take us off course or cause us to miss out on blessings waiting along the way. And though I try to stay fixed on the true meaning of Christmas, sometimes it’s hard to discern between all the voices that call to us.

Yet there he was, a young homeless man, standing outside my favorite grocery store calling out a humble thank you to someone who’d given him a few dollars, and his voice seemed to reach into my own soul too.

Thoughts of a couple of heart tugging incidents flooded my mind with a convicting pull. There was that time three years ago when the piercing look of a homeless woman called to me as I drove out of a shopping center after finishing my last Christmas errand. Her look of desperation had tugged at my heart causing me to ask God if I should turn around and give her some money. Then, the instant I finished that prayer for a sign, a song came over the airwaves of my car radio with stunning clarifying lyrics—“She’s on the corner with a cardboard sign and it’s tugging at your heart.” The song answered. So, of course I’d turned around and went back to give her a hand up.

Maybe that’s why the plight of that certain young homeless man was weighing on me. There was a certain reminiscence about him that had me thinking of that incident and another one many years ago. A moment in time when my own distracted busyness caused me to miss out on a special blessing. I wrote about it in my book “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected.”

So, as promised, here’s another true miraculous story to ponder as we rush through our holiday goals.

It was just such a day about 30 years ago, when my own languid response to an opportunity resulted in a missed blessing and years of regret.

I was at a choir rehearsal that evening, and the director realized that we needed more copies of the music we were learning. Our pianist, the pastor’s wife, and I, volunteered to go down to the church office to get the needed copies. The sun was beginning to set and a light rain had begun to fall as we entered the office on the lower part of the campus that evening.

Finished with our business and having turned off the lights, we stepped out into the garden path. Startling our exit, several strangers suddenly approached us. All of them were dressed in biblical-looking attire. One of them stepped forward and introduced himself as a fellow believer and “traveler.”  He then asked if the church might have a room where they could rest for the night and be sheltered from the rain. I started to respond positively but was quickly cut short by my companion. “We don’t have the authority for that,” she responded. Of course, being the pastor’s wife, she did indeed have the authority, but was obviously cautious about allowing strangers into church property.

“It doesn’t take authority,” the young man said. “It just takes a heart!”

The strangers walked away briskly, and we stared at each other with pricked conviction.“Maybe we could let them sleep in the early childhood room where there’s a bathroom,” she quickly revised.

“Sure,” I said and immediately we turned back to give them the hospitable good news. It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, yet they were nowhere to be seen. They had simply vanished. There was nothing nearby that could possibly hide the conspicuously dressed group and no crowds of people to blend in with as they departed, yet we could not see them anywhere.

Looking at each other in wonder and dismay, words failed, and expressions revealed our obvious regret and curiosity of the blessing we’d both missed that night. We had forgotten to entertain strangers and likely missed out on “entertaining angels.” 

Can you imagine the regret the innkeepers had after learning about the special birth of the Messiah that they missed that serendipitous night? It must have pierced their hearts with remorse at the thought of turning away the parents of the baby Jesus. No doubt some of them never connected the dots or made excuses for their unsympathetic refusal of a room. We can only surmise that many, like myself, may have realized their mistake and lived with long regrets for the blessing missed.

So, as I considered that story and those experiences, I found myself doing all I could to help the young homeless man without putting myself in danger. Knowing that all the local winter shelters were still closed in response to the Covid epidemic, I called our church hotline to ask if there was something they could do to help him get out of the cold rainy night. One very caring pastor called me back and offered some information and suggestions. I learned that much like that little town of Bethlehem 2000 years ago, our local motels were fully booked, because of a government order. But it wasn’t because of a censor being taken, our government was using hotels and motels across our nation to house thousands of immigrants who’d stormed through our borders in recent months. So, even though our church and others had funds set aside for helping the homeless get rooms, churches and innkeepers efforts were thwarted.

So, as another freezing cold night began and still no room for the young man, I felt guilty crawling into my warm cozy bed. I said a prayer for him and found myself pondering the scripture and comment I’d placed at the end of that story with heartfelt worry.

Hebrews 13:2 shines a light on the importance of attentiveness and brotherly love while on life’s highway.  “Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

At this point, in the plight of the homeless man, I haven’t been able to get him into a shelter or motel room and one of the last times I spoke to him he mentioned waking up encrusted with ice all over his damp clothing. I did give him another, more generous, gift and encouraged him to get some food in a warm restaurant where they welcome paying customers and stay open long hours. He wasn’t at his usual post the last time I was there, so I’m praying he was able to find shelter from the storm. I pray that he has and hope I haven’t once again missed a blessing that was actually an angel in disguise.

What would you do in this situation? Tell me or share your Christmas story in comments here.

In the mean time, I pray all of you will have warm and wonderful holidays.

#holidays #Inspirations #miracles #Christmas #fresheyes #winter #homeless #miraculous #angels #prayer #songs

Have you ever had a small miracle that encouraged your heart? I’ve had quite a few in my life. So many, if it weren’t for noting them in my journals and books, I’d probably forget most of them. Yet, when I pick up an old article or story, that I’d written years earlier, and read about one of them, it can lift my spirit in much the same way it did then. Just today I came across one of those. So, as we prepare for Christmas, I thought I’d share that little miracle with you. 

A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS SIGHT

Perhaps it was the nudge of an angel that woke me that morning or maybe it was just my husband’s restlessness. Whatever the case, something woke me from my deep slumber with a frightful startle.

I thought I’d heard someone walking through the house. It wasn’t the sound of loud footsteps, but a soft shuffling—like feet across the carpet. Yet, despite the subtle noise, I awoke with heart thumping concern. My heavy eyelids resisted opening and my first thought was that we might have a prowler. Considering it was nearly Christmas and there were presents lying under our tree, I prayed a silent prayer for protection. 

Listening intently, I heard nothing, but needing to go to the bathroom I got up. Forcing my sleepy eyes open, and with some trepidation, I glanced down our long hallway as I cautiously made my way to our ensuite. On my return trip I decided to look out our bedroom window for any evidence of an intruder.  

To my amazement and awe the most beautiful star I’d ever seen was glistening brightly in the early morning sky. I blinked away any remaining sleepy glue and waited to be certain it wasn’t some sort of aircraft. It was clearly brighter and bigger than all the other stars in the sky but it wasn’t moving. So not an aircraft. Sirius, the morning star, was one I’d observed before, but this was much larger and more brilliant by far. Then, I remembered hearing a report on television a few days earlier about a special constellation in the sky that was going to be visible. They said something about it possibly being the same sight that brought those famous, wise astronomers, or Magi as the Bible tells, to Christ’s birth 2000 years ago. 

Surely, it was the reason I’d been wakened.

Excitement rose inside and I wanted to wake everyone in the house, so they could see it too. Glancing at the clock, I noted it was 4 a.m. and considered the consequences of waking four grumpy people at such an early hour. Motherly wisdom vetoed the idea. With joyful exuberance flooding my heart, I hoped my husband’s restlessness meant he was only half asleep.  

“Are you awake?” I whispered gently as I slipped back into bed.  

“No,” he said.  

“I just saw the most beautiful star ever!”  

“What were you doing outside at this hour?” He mumbled with a sleep-deprived edge to it.

“I wasn’t outside. I just looked out the bedroom window. It might be the same star the wisemen saw at Christ’s birth.”  

His reply came with surprising alertness. “Was it in the eastern part of the sky?”

“Yes! Yes! It was in the eastern sky,” I nearly squealed back. 

“I’ll see it when I get up later,” he said rolling over.

Saying a prayer of thanksgiving for the special Christmas gift God had given me that early morning I fell blissfully back to sleep.

Whether it was the brush of angels’ wings, the Holy Spirit, or something else that woke me on that morning 30 years ago, this experience continues to shine in my heart today. It is one more amazing sign of the Lord’s meticulous and stellar details related to the birth of the messiah. The magi, or wisemen, were excellent astronomers; and they knew about the prophesies as told hundreds of years earlier. They not only observed the sign but acted on it in great faith by traveling hundreds of miles to witness this miracle for themselves and to worship the newborn king it foretold. 

Laughing to myself, I thought: All I did was to travel to the bathroom and gaze out the bedroom window. 

Numbers 24:17 prophetically foretells the story hundreds of years before it happened. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” In the gospel of Matthew, we see the fulfillment of this prophesy as well as other prophecies regarding the messiah. Matthew 2: 2 says: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”  

As we look forward to the bright star of Christmas, I hope this story encouraged your heart and prepared you to celebrate the light of Jesus. May His light shine in your heart throughout the holiday season.

Need another amazing Christmas miracle story? My next blog post in December will tell of a night when I witnessed a whole group of travelers disappear before my eyes. It will be entitled “Distracted Focus/Missed Blessing.” 

My book, “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected” is chock full of similar inspiring true stories, including the story of the beautiful star. In it you’ll find encouragement, community through shared experiences, and a sweet dose of laughter for your soul. If you already own a copy—Thank you!

Consider gifting a copy to a friend or loved one—providing encouragement and laughter for their hearts this holiday season! For a limited time only, when you purchase a copy of my book, “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God In the Unexpected,” you’ll get a FREE copy of my children’s book, “Moriah’s Wings.” See below for details.

Perfect for filling the stockings for your children or grandchildren, or a treat to read by the light of the tree! 🎁 🎄

👉 Fresh Eyes is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Westbow Press. 

**Giveaway Details**

*To receive your free copy of “Moriah’s Wings,” submit proof of purchase of “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected” along with your name and address to Iris Carignan through the contact page of this website. https://iriscarignan.com/contact/ Proof of purchase must be received on or before December 15, 2022. Purchase date must be after June 1, 2022. While supplies last. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook.

#iriscarignanbooks #stillwatersstudio #authorlife #christianauthor #christianpoetry #christianinspiration  #christianblogger #fresheyesbook #findingpeace #holidaystories #inspirations #fresheyesbook #magi #wisemen #Christmasstar #miracles #holidaygift #Christmas #blogger #stellar #prophecy 

Well, it’s official, now that November is nearly here and the sun is quickly rising on the holidays. But are anxieties rising within you too? Maybe you’re remembering a few holidays from the past that were not so bright or cheerful and you’re wondering if things will turn sour again this year. Or maybe, as you glance at the smiling faces in a few family photos and postcards, you have a romantic picture in your mind about how wonderful they all were. 

No matter how wonderful a family may be in the snapshots of our hearts and minds, none of them are perfect. And no matter how hard you may try to make things joyful, the variety of different personalities and perspectives can sometimes bring a collision of tensions when everyone comes together. 

In my book Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected, I wrote about this very topic in a chapter entitled “Unexpected Holiday Perspectives.” I begin by telling a story related to the 4^th of July and how we had the awesome thrill of seeing fireworks from the perspective of an airplane. That heavenly view had me considering: “We all like to celebrate and some of us look for the smallest reason to throw a party.” 

I wonder, though, how much of what we do for holiday celebrations like the 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, etc., actually expresses, or produces appreciation and reverence for their true meaning?” Take, for instance, Thanksgiving. Shouldn’t our main focus be on giving thanks?

As that holiday chapter in my book continues into a particular Thanksgiving celebration, my own vision for what’s important gets a fresh adjustment. Recalling how I’d tried so hard to make everything perfect that year, you read about how all kinds of grinches had seemingly worked against that happening. It begins when a beautiful glass goblet is smashed to pieces as someone attempts to adjust the table size with another leaf. “It’s just a glass and more importantly your guests will be much more comfortable now that we’ve added the other table leaf.” My son tried to put things back into a good perspective that day. 

Of course, I knew he was right. But this minor foible seemed perfectly timed by the same grinch who had stalked us for more than a month. The shattering sound of the breaking glass might just as well have been a clanging bell signaling the end of round 6 and the start of another in this boxing match of disappointments and changes to our holiday celebration. I had surmised. You see that Thanksgiving wasn’t like all the others. That year my husband and I were also celebrating our 45^th wedding anniversary. Yet as hard as we had tried, everything we’d planned had been changed several times.  

The story continues with disappointing detail after detail that occurred that year, including a planned anniversary vacation that got unexpectedly canceled. But as it wraps up, you’ll also read about the unexpected fruit and fresh perspective that happens as a result— the fruit that comes from gratefulness. It’s a lesson my Lord continues to drive home every time things go wrong, or trouble comes my way. 

Philippians 4:4-7 says: “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all…Do not be anxious for anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So, regardless of your intentions this holiday season, as you make plans for the upcoming celebrations, I hope and pray that we can all approach things with fresh eyes and grateful hearts. And when we do, no matter how it may go, I’m certain that thankfulness will allow us to find joy and purposeful meaning in them. 

If you’d like to read the entire holiday story mentioned here as well as a poem and lots of other true stories of inspiration, go to “Books” on this website to order your copy of Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected at: www.iriscarignan.com  I’d love to hear what you are grateful for this year too, so leave a comment here if you’d like. 

#fresheyesbook #holidaycelebration #gratefulness #thanksgiving #unexpectedtrials #poetry #inspirational #holidayseason #holidayperspectives #inspirationalbooks

When I was a very young girl, there was a popular tv show called “Queen for A Day.” While I don’t remember much about it, one thing stands out. Whoever won the honor of being queen for a day, though a short lived reign, she was showered with all kinds of wonderful gifts, accolades and treasures that made her feel extra special. 

So, why am I talking about this old tv show?

Well, this past week while much of the world has mourned the loss of Queen Elizabeth II—a true queen, the strangest thing happened to me. Little ole me.

At 96 the queen left a legacy that’s impressed and affected many people around the world, regardless of any affiliation they may or may not have to the UK. Yet, even though I’ve never been a big fan or follower of the royals, to my astonishment— I had a vivid dream about Queen Elizabeth II.

Coincidentally, as I considered the dream I also began to think about that long forgotten tv show- Queen for a Day. 

In my dream I was chatting with Queen Elizabeth. We hadn’t talked for long before she excused herself for, no doubt, more important things. In a fluster, I tried desperately to express myself to her about some issue I felt was important. Yet I couldn’t spit-it-out quickly enough. As she turned to walk away, I made one more attempt to say it. She stopped short, took my hand in hers and pressed a hard-edged, yet delicate object into the palm of my hand, quickly folding my fingers over it. Opening my hand, I beheld a beautiful, and glistening, gemmed brooch shaped like a butterfly. Stunned, I thanked her profusely and told her how my mother also loved butterflies and had collected many similar pins. Grateful beyond words, I let her go on her way. Sadly, as the dream continued, I misplaced and lost the brooch along with a few pieces of jewelry my mother had given me.

Waking from the dream with a feeling of great loss, thoughts of my mother who passed a little more than ten years ago, came to mind. Ironically my mother would have also been 96 if she were still living today.   

So, as I sat in contemplation of all of this, a few things occurred to me. 

1. The dream was more about the loss of my mother, my queen, than about a heralded royal celebrity  
2. Both my mother and the queen liked to wear hats and brooches.
3. Both women stood by their faith and principals no matter what came their way. 
4. The spiritual gems inherited from my mother, and the queen, are the most precious kind of jewels that can be left as a legacy.  

Much like the sample of quotes listed here from Queen Elizabeth II, my mother also believed:

“The life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace,… is an inspiration and an anchor in my life” ( Queen Elizabeth 2014) 

“Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it    can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.” (2011)

“The gift I would most value next year is that reconciliation should be found  wherever it is needed. A reconciliation which would bring peace and security to families and neighbours at present suffering and torn apart. Remember that good spreads outwards and every little does help. Mighty things from small beginnings grow as indeed they grew from the small child of Bethlehem.” (1976)

“I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God!” (2002)

So, hail to all the queens (& kings) who reign in our hearts well beyond a day or two. Those who leave a legacy of faith, forgiveness, and many other gems that continue to sparkle on for years. Our hats are off to you! 

Tell me, here, about the queen, or king, that made a difference in your life. 

#royalty #royalfamily #queenelizabeth #jewels #butterflies #gems #faith #quotes #forgiveness #blog #legacy #hats #christianfaith #restore #jewelry

We all know the saying “that’s how the cookie crumbles” but do we know how we can stop it from crumbling? Or, in the case of actual cookies, how we can make dry cookies come back to life with soft freshly baked moisture? If you know me, you’d probably guess that one of my favorite cookie flavors is peanut butter. Problem is most peanut butter cookies get dry very quickly and that’s not good.

But it turns out, I have a really, good trick for putting moisture back into cookies, whether they’re home baked or store bought? And if you try my tip, you might say that’s how the cookie doesn’t crumble. At least not as easily. But before I tell you what the trick is, I want to talk a little bit about that whole metaphor thing that’s baked into the statement.

The actor Jim Carey made us all laugh in the movie, Bruce Almighty, as a television news reporter who always wrapped up his report with, “And that’s how the cookie crumbles.” But you don’t have to be a celebrity or even a smart cookie to understand this metaphor applies to just about any kind of life issue. You might be talking about an investment that didn’t pan out, a project that failed, or even a serious matter that you’re trying to make light of. Whatever the case, we use this flippant comment to ease our disappointments when something doesn’t work out as sweet as we’d hoped. As a way of easing the pain of disillusionment by laughing it off. But whether you laugh so hard you cry or weep with sobs of anguish, tears can help you contend with what went wrong. 

Studies have shown that crying can help you heal when you’re going through emotional trauma, because they release toxins that build up within you. The Bible often talks about tears and crying including the shortest verse: “Jesus wept.” We also read about a woman named Mary who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. I think my favorite verse about tears is Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” It’s one I often count on.

So, you may be asking, what’s that got to do with cookies? Well, that’s where my trick comes in. 

Here’s the trick: #1 Put a slice of bread on top of a plate of cookies, #2 wrap the cookies with plastic wrap leaving the bread on top of the cookies and #3 give them 10 to 30 minutes. #4 Take off the bread (now very dry) and Waah-La! You’ll have soft moist cookies. (The time varies with different kinds of cookies). You may even see good results with as little as five minutes, or you may have to leave them overnight. Either way, you will realize that the process of osmosis took place by drawing all the moisture out of the bread and placing it into the cookies. 

Getting back to metaphors, Jesus often used bread in a metaphoric way. Not long after he miraculously multiplied two fish, five loaves of bread, and fed a crowd of 5,000, he said, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32b-33). Then he reiterated it later by saying, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:48) 

Applying this profound analogy to something we commonly eat, one might say that Jesus is the only moisturizing bread that can truly bring life into our dry spirits. When we let Him come into our hearts by believing in Him and his sacrificial love for us, He pours His spirit into us with a supernatural osmosis. We are born again with fresh life and a sweetness that lasts forever. However, we are like fragile cookies living in a world of crushing disappointments and crumbling disasters. And sometimes our half-baked faith allows His living water to seep out or we fill ourselves with things that don’t fit His recipe for goodness. So, we need to keep coming to Him for a filling of His Holy Spirit every day. We need to lay Jesus, the Bread of life, on our cracked and dry souls.

And that’s how our spiritual cookie doesn’t crumble.

If your’e going through a tough time I hope you will let your tears flow and ask Jesus to fill you with His hope and strength. Let me know in the comments here, if I can pray for you in some way.

#cookielover #peanutbuttercookies #breadoflife #Jesus #spirituallife #fresheyes #recipe #cookietips #iriscarignanbooks #christianauthor #blog #christianinspiration

How’s your blood pressure? Not sure about my own, but chances are my numbers are up. Probably just need a retreat. Oh, that’s right, I just got back from one a few weeks ago and it was relaxing, inspirational, and wonderful. 

It was held high up on Palomar Mountain and was a Christian Writer’s Retreat. Driving up the mountain by myself was a challenge that made me nervous. Especially since I’d never been there before. Part of my concern was my history of altitude sickness and part of it my propensity towards car sickness on winding roads. Ironically, about a year earlier, I had written a scene about a character who had faced the scary challenge of driving up a tall mountain by herself. So as my anxiety about the drive grew, I couldn’t help thinking about it. And you guessed it, the story I’d written long before this test, spoke to my own spirit with encouragement. Even my husband commented that “If your character can do it, you can.” 

Pretty funny isn’t it? 

So, up the mountain I went, and the retreat was a blessing. New friends, lots of fellowship, and a view from the top that gave a fresh perspective—literally and spiritually. Naturally, that had been the moral of the story for my character too. 

We’ve all done it— a summer camp, women’s retreat, or couple’s getaway, that took us away from our work-day-world. For a brief time, our souls were refreshed, and our bodies loosed from stress. The inspiration, fun, and a deep breathing of God’s Spirit, refreshed and relaxed us like nothing else.  

Then, we went back down. 

At first, I hit the ground running with revived energy. Of course, like housework, the work I’d put on hold was still waiting for me and the pile of chores were higher than when I’d left.  At least I had gained some new tools for tackling my next big author equipping event—a Christian Writer’s Conference. A writer’s conference differs from a retreat as it offers all kinds of sessions, information, and opportunities that equip writers in their endeavors to become successful published authors. 

Knowing this next adventure in authorship equipping was going to occur in just a few weeks, I dove right into the prep for it. I needed to be ready for an appointment with a literary agent, something that’s a must for anyone who wants to be traditionally published as opposed to self-published. 

Thus, the current rise in my blood pressure.  

So, I sat and took some deep breaths. Closing my eyes and listening to the messages from the retreat that still rang in the ears of my heart, I heard the honest tales of other authors that had inspired me. Authors, who had traveled up scary mountain roads paved with obstacles and insecurities towards their traditional publishing goals. They had spoken candidly of their own pitfalls and successes, but mostly how keeping their eyes fixed on the Lord, instead of their fears and failures, had given them a steadfast strength for the journey. 

My stomach settled, nerves calmed, and a healing balm soothed my sin-sick soul. Whatever happens next on my writing road is in the hands of the best travel guide ever—the Lord. 

Are you currently on a rocky road up a mountain that seems too high to conquer? Tell me about it on the comments here. 

#mountainclimbers #inspirations #Christianretreat #author #inspirationalauthor #writers #equipping #iriscarignanbooks #stillwatersstudio #authorlife #christianauthor #christianpoetry #christianinspiration  #christianblogger #fresheyesbook #moriahswingsbook #christianartist #findingjoy #multigenerational #christianinspirationalquotes #blogpoetry #inspirationalpainter #christianpainter #christianartist

For many years, I’ve enjoyed the solitude of walking my dog in the cool of the evening or the dewy wet sparkle of a crisp morning. It is often a time of inspiration and introspection for me. But tonight as I walked, my heart was ladened with another kind of dampening—news of another school shooting. And contemplation of this current horrific event reminded me of another such day about twelve years ago. At that time our country was reeling from the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting where 6 adults and 20 children died.

I remembered how it had been a cool winter morning when I was out walking and praying with a heavy heart about the Sandy Hook shooting. I had stopped short at a neighbor’s driveway as she was returning home. She was about to drive up her steep driveway, but stopped abruptly, reversed her car, and set the brakes so she could retrieve the newspaper. Then she noticed me. Leaning out the car window for a chat, we began sharing our thoughts on the terrible event of that day. Although we rarely had the opportunity to visit, it had been a rough week for her and the accurate timing of being at her driveway at that moment seemed to be ordained. My neighbor, who has two small children, was especially feeling the burden of that tragedy. Added to it was an extra dose of sadness with the loss of her dog that week. I was glad for the opportunity to be a shoulder of comfort at that moment. After talking for about fifteen minutes, we said our goodbyes and I started to recommence my walk. 

“Are you going to walk behind my car?” she halted me. “You should probably wait” she said “ as sometimes the car rolls down a bit before going up this steep driveway.” 

I had already considered being cautious while walking behind the vehicle, but hadn’t thought it a danger since she was well aware of my presence. However, I decided to heed her warning and waited for her car to go up the hill first. It was a good thing I did, as it turned out her large SUV was still in reverse and when she hit the gas to go up, the car went careening DOWN into the street. If I had walked behind her car, both my dog and I would have suffered severe injury and possibly death.  

I stood there in awe of my Lord’s protective mercies. He had clearly spoken through my neighbor who is a believer as well. 

We never know when or where peril may lie for any of us and it’s hard to fathom the evil that leads someone to take the lives of little children. But Proverbs 2:7-8 promises that our God “guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.”

If your heart is ladened with sorrow of any kind, I encourage you to take a stroll in the cool of the summer evening and let God fill you with the sweet breath of His word, love, and care no matter what you’re going through. You might want to also meditate on Psalm 119:105, which says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path.” If you have a prayer request that you’d like me to bring to God, please let me know in simple terms in the comments here.