Picket Fences

  WHAT IF? “What are you going to do if God doesn’t answer your prayer?” My neighbor’s question left me stunned. Surely God would answer my prayer. I could see no reason at all for God to not answer my prayer. I spent quite a while praying that night, in my backyard, looking at the moon. It looked huge and seemed so close to earth that I felt as though I could reach out and touch it or even step right onto it. I knew God created that moon. He spoke it into existence. As a new believer I had not even considered God would not answer my prayer.  He spoke the entire world into existence.  He can answer my prayer. It has been over 30 years since the night my neighbor asked me that question. Did God answer my prayer? Not the way I wanted the prayer to be answered. It was a season of grieving and growing for me. Since then though, there have been many answered prayers. And – My dad’s friend did not heal. My friends did not heal. Some family members did not heal....

 Peace? Where is it? Chaos and confusion are everywhere. News, videos, people's choices, viruses, cancers, and relationships exploding - information that continually fills our minds.  Closer to home, life can be fast, relationships can totter at the drop of a hat, people are haggard, walking the streets with no home to go to, drug and alcohol addictions is a norm in a lot of families. Where is the peace? I know I can spend time during the day looking and looking for just a moment or two for some space where there is solitude. There is no news, no demands, no need to be emotionally available, and I am just able to take a moment to process life.  Where is the peace for the people who have been taken from their lives and held hostage? Where is the peace for the ones who have been stolen and sold for the perverted pleasure of others? Where is the peace for the one who is caring for a loved one that is suffering in one way or another, and where is the peace f...