tattered hearts

I think the one thing that stands out to me with the release of this first book is how much God loves me. And you! You can grow up singing, "Yes, Jesus Loves Me," but then go 40 years without truly believing it, like I did. Things happen in our lives that keep us from feeling His all-consuming love first hand. Fortunately He's in the business of mending tattered hearts. And He's mended mine through my writing dream.

My mom told me yesterday she found an old photo of me in a colonial dress and bonnet my granny had made - I was about 10 or so. I'm going to try to post it on my new website. It made me think of the stories I wrote as a child, never thinking I'd see mine in print some day. But God had planted those stories in my heart, knowing it would take 40 years for me to realize how tattered I was and how distrusting of Him. Interestingly enough, He took the thing that mattered most to me, my writing, to show me how much He loves me. He doesn't need my help or my books or talents. Bookshelves are stuffed with all kinds of fiction. But He loved me enough to reach back through the years and redeem my writing dream, knowing how much it meant to me.

And now that I'm here, it's very different than I thought it would be. Wonderful in its own way and very fulfilling but still fleeting. Scripture has a lot to say about temporary treasure. I like what Beth Moore said in her Daniel study:

"God's glory quickens every nerve ending. It's not the pain-free life. It's not the safe-at-a-distance life. But, Beloved, it is life most alive. Life most abundant."