Book Review: Little Wonder

I heard the buzz about this book by Sophie Chen Keller, Little Wonder. It made Oprah's Book Club for 2026 and is part of Jenna Bush Hager's Thousand Voices. The author's bio is fascinating. Sophie's first publication, at age 15, was a short story in the famous Glimmer Train literary magazine. That's quite an accomplishment! She is a classically trained pianist who has lived in China, the United States, and Germany. I had never heard of her other books, and my German is no longer good enough to read in German (oh, that I had retained that skill after my graduate school class in reading academic German).

Little Wonder tells the story of a mother and her piano prodigy son who are separated by the congestion of traffic in the Beijing Railway Station. They spend years trying to find one another. Each one's story weaves out in different ways. River, by virtue of his musical abilities, finds others who will nurture (rather than exploit) him. Song is determined to stay in the city searching for her boy. She works in food delivery to meet many people and show them River's photo.

I devoured this book, reading it in two or three days (which, given my grieving, is unusual). It reminded me of a true story I had heard many years ago (2009) about a lost son eventually reunited with family. I called that 2009 blog post, "Plans to Prosper and Not to Harm." It was interesting reading my perspective all those years ago. Interesting too, I am still in a wilderness so, yes, a lifetime! I followed my link to the original story on the A Family Reunited blog and now I want to devote time to further reading (that blog continued after 2009). True stories are especially appealing to me! You can view the story in increments (I think presented by CNN) here on You Tube.

Book Review: Bible Facts About Heaven

In August, we invited three individuals to some meals and revival meetings. Two out of three came. Trevor's girlfriend Kylie came for one night and her mother came for three. It was wonderful to have the chance to eat with them prior to the services and wonderful to know they would hear the gospel. Our joy multiplied as both Kylie and Angie accepted Christ's free gift of salvation, assuring them of eternal life. Praise God! He opens eyes and ears. He softens hearts. He makes people hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. Now, we will pray for their growth in Him and their continued dependence upon Him for the trials and struggles of this life. He gives victory!

On friend night, they gave a free book to each one who invited a friend, and to each friend who came. Thus, I read through John R. Rice's Bible Facts About Heaven during my morning devotional time. It is a very simple little book full of nuggets of wisdom for those who wish to know more about the eternal destination of believers. Angie received a book, too, about assurance of salvation. This was such a blessing. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to read this John Rice book (he is the author of a powerful book my husband and I have been reading together, called The Soul-Winner's Fire).

Book Review: The Door-to-Door Bookstore

This German novel, The Door-to-Door Bookstore, is about the blessing of multi-generational relationships and the power of books. It was written by Carsten Sebastian Henn and translated from German to English by Melody Shaw. Carl Kollhoff loves his job delivering books to patrons who don't wish to travel to the bookstore. When 9-year-old Shasha persists in following him on his route, a friendship develops. Along the way, that friendship is tested and Kollhoff loses his job. Will their love of books restore the balance and sustain their friendship? Is Carl's role as important to others as he imagined? How do books bring people together? All these questions find answers in this heart-warming book. 

Apparently there is a movie, Der Buchspazierer, but it is not available to stream, buy, or rent in the United States. Too bad! I'm sure the movie adaptation of this tale is lovely.

Book Review: Portraits of Perseverance

I'm not sure when or where I bought this book. It bears a $2.50 price tag. I know why I bought this book. Not only is the topic about Job (as conflicted a man as ever there was), but the author is Henry Gariepy, a name I grew up hearing because he was a Salvation Army officer. I don't know if my parents  knew him personally, but the name drew me to make this small purchase.

Portraits of Perseverance is, as the subtitle promises, 100 Meditations from the Book of Job. I read through the Bible once a year, using a reading chart that accompanies my prayer journal (running out of space because I've used it for 5 years now). With the book of Job approaching, I pulled this book by Gariepy off my shelves to supplement my devotional reading. In the introduction, Gariepy promises that his book "selects the textual gems of [Job] that sparkle with insights and inspiration. Included are facets of timeless truths from some of the lesser-known texts."

I appreciated Gariepy's use of familiar hymns and quotes from various individuals. In the third meditation, about prioritizing family, he quotes U.S. Senate Chaplain Richard Halverson: "Forgive those of us who give family such a low priority.... Help the Senators not to be so busy trying to save the nation that they let their children go to hell." We have such an opportunity to speak into the lives of those in our families. Do we take those opportunities seriously?

I also could relate to words in the 19th meditation, "How Not to Comfort." In addressing Eliphaz's claim of a vision from God, Gariepy writes: "After all, who can debate the authority of someone who says, 'God has spoken to me.' It leaves no room for discussion. Thus Eliphaz spoke with absolute dogmatism." Gariepy goes on to suggest why this arrogance is deadly: "Eliphaz broke all the rules of offering counsel and comfort. From him we can learn the negatives to avoid when people are hurting. His arrogance instructs us not to be dogmatic, judgmental, insensitive, theologically naïve, and superficial. Often, people in trouble do not need our words and our philosophies; they need us. They need our love, our caring, our compassion, our affirmation, our practical support, and encouragement."

I took comfort from the 38th meditation on life after death. Gariepy calls the grave, "the robing room where we put aside the travel-worn attire of our earthly pilgrimage to become clothed in the garments of immortality. The name of Jesus will be our password at the gates of death to usher us into life eternal and the joys of heaven." How wonderful to know my son is clothed in garments of immortality and resting in the arms of Jesus, whom he claimed as Savior!

Indeed, meditation number 67 seemed to be directly written for me. He writes: "A man whose son died at 21 was not able to overcome his grief and mourning. One day he was asked by his minister, 'If the choice had been offered you of having him 21 years or not at all, which would you have chosen?' The joy of happy, sunlit hours need not always be overshadowed by the storm clouds that have come."

If you are facing life circumstances that bring you to your knees, this book offers encouragement and points to the spiritual source of strength. Amazon lists the paperback copy at $70.51. That's a far cry from the $2.50 I spent . The hardback price is far lower, at $6.21, but the image shown is a paperback copy. I also noted, from the Amazon author biography, that he wrote another book I own and reviewed, Andy Miller: A Legend and a Legacy. I would love to find a copy of what Amazon calls his "most popular," Songs in the Night (stories behind hymns - a current fascination of mine) or his When Life Gets Tough.

Artist Spotlight: Jennifer Kennedy

Shortly after I published Watching the Wayward, I discovered a local craft fair scheduled for the following day. I sent a letter anyway, hoping to be considered the following year. God's timing was perfect for this happy introduction to Jennifer Kennedy. As I explored her Pirouetting Heart website, I learned we had much in common. She is a believer with 3 sons (and 3 daughters). We were both approaching an empty nest. She describes herself on her Instagram account as "Redeemed. Wife, mama. Artist. Blessed to bless. Comforted to comfort. Created to create. Inspired to inspire. John 17:3 #p #alwaysseeinghearts." I love her belief that we are all creative in some way.

The more I got to know Jen, the more my respect and admiration grew. She has a tender heart for the Lord and for others. When my son, Trevor, died, I knew my husband was dreading the approach of what would have been his 22nd birthday. I approached Jen, to commission a sketch or painting of our wayward son looking into the eyes of his gracious Redeemer. Her piece far exceeded my hopes and dreams. My husband wept at the sight of it. I love the wholeness and happiness she captured.

I'm hoping others will benefit from her God-given talents and abilities, as well. Thus, I am featuring Jennifer Kennedy in this artist interview:

Q1: I knew in Trevor's toddler years that he was an artist at heart. He was constantly making art out of whatever he could find, even trash on the ground (maybe, especially, trash on the ground). I've been reading a beautiful book on art, Old Soul, New Creation, by master penman Jake Weidmann. He declares, "Art chose me long before I chose it.... Art was my closest friend, my first language." How early did you recognize your artistic talents?

JK: I love Trevor's resourcefulness and Weidmann's quote. I've been creating in some way for as long as I can remember, "drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil." When I was very young, I would "sketch" by scratching one rock upon another or, in our gravel driveway, with a stick. I have a vivid memory of my mom telling my kindergarten teacher, "Yes, she is an artist." My teacher had asked us to draw one of our favorite people (I had drawn Wilma Flintstone 😊). She asked Mom to come in to see my drawing and said something to the effect of, "Did you know that she could draw this well?" I can't remember a time of not being creative in some way.  

Q2: I would also say my son was interested in various forms of art. While he was passionate about 3-dimensional art, he also loved to draw and sketch. For a period of time, he was big into graffiti. Everything seemed to be his canvas (he drew on paper, containers, shoes, shirts, and even a large discarded sheet). What are your favorite art forms you use to express yourself and your talent?

JK: Ha! Yes, I mentioned some of the things that were "canvases" for me early on. I also love various mediums and forms of art and creating. I drew with a good old #2 pencil for years. When little, I loved crayons and coloring, and then colored pencils. As a teen, doodling and then sketching became the majority of my creating. I also grew to enjoy needlework, sewing, and cross stitch. (I free-lanced and sold some of my cross-stitch work during those years.) 

I then began trying out watercolor, and took a couple of Introduction to Watercolor classes with a watercolor artist who attended our family's church. I picked up acrylics and focused on them for quite a while. I still enjoy each of these. I was afraid of oil painting for far too long. Since beginning to learn the proper use of oils, I love oil painting! Landscapes, still life, and studies of the masters. I've always loved painting small and working in detail.

Then, I was introduced to creating on a much larger scale when I got to lead the creation of a series of murals in the infant and toddler rooms of our church when our kids were young. It was a challenge, but working on that scale was very growing, encouraging, and has become so enjoyable for me. I hadn't created a mural in years, but I got to create a mountainscape on a nursery wall for a soon-to-be-born great-nephew, back in the spring of 2022. Just over this past year, fall of 2025 into the spring of 2026, I was commissioned to paint a "hope-filled mural" in a friend's new office space; it became a beautiful wall full of flowers, bugs, berries, and more. Most recently, I painted some more beautiful florals and various creatures in a new client/friend's sunroom. 

In whatever form of creating, I feel "fully alive" when I am doing so. In the movie Chariots of Fire, about the Olympic runner, Eric Liddell, his character says, "God made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." ...I can truly say from my heart, "God made me creative. And when I create I feel His pleasure." I have many "favorite" forms of creating - and I don't know that I could decide which are the "favoritist."

Q3: Was it hard to find time for artistic expression when you were in the thick of raising 6 small children? Did you say you had 6 under the age of 7?

JK: Yes and no. (Our oldest had turned 6 the end of May 2001, and our youngest was born in the beginning of September that year.) I often created with them - leading them in some creative way. Those times are some of my most loved memories.... I still doodled in my prayer journals, and drew a schedule chart for our day. I began focusing on "interior design," painting the walls and exterior doors and shutters of our home. I even ended up painting a chair I had thrifted. I DIYed in sooo many ways (most often because that was all we could afford 😊)... Not long after our youngest was born, I papercrafted/collaged a paper doll to represent our baby girl so that her siblings could change/feed/care for that "baby" while Mama (I) was busy caring for her.

I had some commissions over the years: portraits, murals, décor pieces, and I am very thankful for those, as well. ...During these years, I read a lot. A quote from one book really struck me: the author's mother had been asked why she hadn't written a book while her children were young and she replied to the effect that she was "too busy 'writing' her (5, I believe) masterpieces," referring to raising her children. I am thankful for each of our "blessings 6" and would not change a thing about those years. As I look back, truly my greatest obstacle to creating has been myself. Too often, uncertainty, procrastination, perfectionism, or misfocus held me back.

Q4: How I can relate! I've been held back by similar self-imposed restrictions. I'm always interested in preparations for creative work. What is your typical process for creating art? Do you have a favorite location? Favorite subject? Favorite tools?

JK: For years I created in the wee hours of the morning, or late into the night, at our dining room table, while my littles were sleeping. My supplies were kept in our bedroom closet, later moved into a cabinet in our kitchen/dining room once the kids were old enough not to try getting into them. Only within the last few years have I had a "studio space," a portion of the walk-in closet of our home (2020-2023), a corner of our living room in our small apartment (2023-2024), and now part of the small guest room in our "empty-nesting" home. And still I often find myself on the couch, back at the dining room table, or outside drawing or painting - especially if my husband is home, or if I'm away with him, on his fishing boat - I find myself wherever he is.

One of my favorite ways to create is in a sketchbook, using various methods. Primarily, I "study" these various methods there: watercolor, collage, and graphite sketching. Studying color Theory with colored pencils has been a fun "new" way to "just play" creatively in my sketchbook. As far as favorite location - I love to be outside! "Plein air" (open air/outdoors) painting has become a favorite way to create - and I love my "pochade" (traveling oil painting box). I love trying to capture a landscape, waterscape, florals, clouds and skies, nature in some form. One way that rolls many of my favorites into one is by going for what I call my "Spring Wood Walk," carrying a wee watercolor kit with me and creating wildflower studies in a "wee sketchbook." This has been a lovely yearly tradition for several years now (10-15?). I have begun carrying that mini-watercolor kit with me almost everywhere. I also love to help others create, so I host art parties I call "Word n' Canvas." This started with an event for some ladies in my church, back in 2013-2014.

Q5: If you had a mission statement for your art, what would it be? What do you hope your artwork accomplishes?

JK: To know the Lord, and make Him known through it. (I would say this is my life mission statement, and creating/art is just one of the ways I pray to do so.) My business name, Pirouetting Heart Art... and the notes in my IG profile share some of my thoughts behind this mission of my life and work in art. I am "redeemed" (saved from my "slavery to sin") because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And I want to share this truth with others:

- that I am Blessed (in knowing Him) to bless (make Him known) - Genesis 12

- that I am Comforted (by Him) to comfort (others) - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

- that I am Created to create - Genesis 1:26-27

- that I am Inspired (by His creation/Word) to inspire (by creating - and sharing His Word - Hebrews 10:24; Matthew 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Creating brings me great joy, and I hope my art will also bring joy, comfort, and encouragement to others. Any good I have received in this life is a gift from God - not meant to be kept to myself, but to be given to others. He is good - and desires good for us - to make Himself known to us, I hope - and pray that my artwork leads to this being known by others. Andrew Peterson (musician, author, artist) noted as part of an introduction of himself that he wants to: "use my gifts to tell the truth, and to tell it as beautifully as I can." My heart echoes this desire.

Q6: Can you share with us the origins of your business name?

JK: I mentioned that my business name carries meaning and a glimpse into my hope/mission for my work. I would love to share the origin and meaning behind it. I was reminded of the term, "Pirouetting Heart," in a book of devotions that I re-read back in 2018. I was praying through the grief of my mama's passing the year before, and carrying a very heavy/grieving heart for various other reasons during that season (having been confronted with the brokenness of this world many times and in many ways throughout this life, as many of us have). This book was one of the numerous books I found among my mama's belongings. Intrigued by the title, Silent Strength for My Life, I set it aside for myself while sorting through her things. I picked it up again when unpacking into an apartment the summer of 2018, and was surprised to find, noted on the inside cover page, that it was my book! It had been gifted to my husband and me on our wedding day! Then I realized it must have been among a box of books I had given my mama to store when we moved years before. 

As I began re-reading that beautiful book, it was just what I needed, just when I needed it. The first few daily devotions shared the idea of our need for a "rejoicing heart" ...and that the Hebrew word(s) most often translated as "rejoice" carry the meaning of dancing, leaping for joy, and spinning or twirling about, to "pirouette" (i.e. 1 Samuel 2:1a, "My heart REJOICES in the LORD"). And I began praying that I would have a "Pirouetting Heart" before the LORD. And like the prophet Habakkuk, that I would (choose to) Rejoice "even if"--even in that time of heartache and the midst of so many questions--and in that Joy/Rejoicing in Him, find renewed strength. (Habakkuk 3:18-19; Nehemiah 8:10) So when I "retired" from work outside my home at the end of 2021, and began building my art business in 2022, I was praying over the name I would choose to represent my work and honor the Lord. It had to be Pirouetting Heart. 

Q7: Whom are you inspired by? Do you have a favorite artist or works of art?

JK: I have loved studying the Impressionists: Monet, Edward Seago, I love the work of Frank Weston Benson, a late 1800s-early 1900s American Impressionist. ...John Singer Sargent, his work in portraiture is amazing. I have also loved the art of Beatrix Potter since I was young. She is definitely a favorite. ...& so many other children's book author/illustrators: Janet and Anne Graham Johnstone (twin sisters), Tasha Tudor, Robert McCloskey, Eloise Wilkin (Little Golden Books), Janet Barklem (Brambly Hedge) to name a few.

Q8: Where can people in the Indianapolis area find you and your work?

JK: I have participated in central Indiana markets or "pop-up shops," but most of my work has been sold online or via word-of-mouth as past or current clients share my work with others.

Q9: Where can others find you online?

JK: I can be found at my online shop: Pirouetting Heart - https://pirouettingheart.com/ 

or on Instagram @ pirouetting.heart 

and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.kennedy.9674

Q10: I absolutely LOVE the personal painting you created when I sought a gift for my husband on my son's birthdate. Are you open to more commissions? What options are available? What price range can a customer expect?

JK: It is a blessing to me that you love Trevor's portrait! I pray over my work as I create, and part of my prayer over it was that it would be a comfort and joy for you and your family for years to come. I am taking commissions. The following links can be followed for more info:

- Portraits:  https://pirouettingheart.com/products/commission-portrait; 

- Wedding Bouquet: https://pirouettingheart.com/products/commission-wedding-bouquet; 

- Wedding Day Portrait:  https://pirouettingheart.com/products/wedding-day-portrait; 

- Home Portrayal: https://pirouettingheart.com/products/commission-home-portrayal; 

- Mural: https://pirouettingheart.com/products/mural-painting; 

- Or they can email me directly: jen@pirouettingheart.com

I love that Jen prays over her work. She shared with me a few videos of the process. We were blown away by the specific praise songs heard in the background while she worked. In the first video, we hear the apt lyric for, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." So fitting, while painting an image of my son gazing into the eyes of Christ. In the second video, she was working to, "you take what the enemy meant for evil, and you turn it for good." So true in the life of my son! Finally, the third song had these lyrics, "I've kissed the dirt. I've worn the scars. I've walked through hell beneath the stars. I've hit the ground; I've lost the fight. I've crawled through more than one long night. I've heard that voice saying 'You're too far; you'll never outrun who you are!' But through the dark, above the lies, I hear the Father say, 'Get up, and rise!'" Powerful! Those lyrics are based on Micah 7:8 - "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me." (ESV)

I'm so grateful to Jen for taking her time to field my questions, for sharing her art with me and with the world, and for seeking to serve God through the gifts He has lavished on her. She is a gem! I hope you'll check out her work.

Book Review: The Midnight Train

I was eager when I saw a Matt Haig book to follow The Midnight Library. I believe this could be read as a standalone. Indeed, I don't really remember my read of The Midnight Library. In The Midnight Train, Haig explores again this idea of living out multiple lives. It is such a tempting premise. Who doesn't wish they could go back and change something?

The book begins with Wilbur and Maggie on their honeymoon in Venice. Or did it begin with Wilbur dying? Now, I can't remember. Such is grief brain. Dead Wilbur boards the Midnight Train and is taken to various moments throughout his life. In the course of this review, he decides he needs to redirect his earlier self.

Haig is an outstanding writer. His sentences are compelling. He creates believable characters. Still, I didn't really like Wilbur. I understand, that's the point. Wilbur doesn't like Wilbur. Thus, he goes back to intercede and stop him from turning his life into drudgery and an endless chasing after more money. People do fall into that trap, though, don't they? Accruing wealth becomes an obsession. It makes me think of that old phrase, "Eat to live; don't live to eat." Equally true is, "Earn to live; don't live to earn." Poor Maggie endures so much with Wilbur. The problem comes when we think about the fact that one character flaw might be changed, yet leave a whole host of others. And, like in Rebecca Serle's Once and Again, if given a chance to fix a regret, who knows if you'd pick the right one to remedy. I know I'd probably go wrong. 

📒Content Caution: language, drug use

Book Review: Soaring on Broken Wings

I finished the two books I had used as supplemental reading during my devotions and headed upstairs to seek my shelves for other titles. This book, Soaring on Broken Wings, by Kathy Bartalsky, was one I purchased for 50 cents at a thrift store in DeKalb, IL, years ago. God knew exactly when I needed to read this book. Despite sitting on my shelves for years, it brought a message of comfort in my despair over the loss of my son, Trevor.

Kathy Bartalsky is no stranger to suffering and loss. Her story is one that will inspire you to trust in God's plans, even when they seem to make no sense. God is sovereign, and we find great peace when we rest in His wisdom. This is especially true when things feel wrong and hard. We must fight the desire to demand our own way. We must cling to the hem of the Master's robe and find our sustenance in Him. This honest account of trial and pain helped heal and soothe my own grief and pain. God has a plan for our lives and for our deaths. May both bring Him glory! We are seeing Trevor's death bring God glory, and all we can do is praise our Father for His grace and mercy demonstrated in and through our loss.

Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

This brief little book by W. Phillip Keller provides fresh and insightful commentary on one of the most famous passages of the Bible, the 23rd Psalm. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 is only a 3 hour and 45 minute listen, but the experience will lead to a deeper understanding of what we often overlook because we know the psalm by rote memory. The author is familiar with tending sheep. He knows both the way of the sheep and of the good shepherd. He explores and dissects each phrase in the psalm to glean meaning and inspiration for Christians. I found this Christian classic so encouraging to my heart and soul. It made me want to stay close to the Father and trust His expert care.

Book Review: More Than Friends

I feel compelled to explain each time I comment on a book now. My reviews are lackluster. My enthusiasm for books has taken a hit. I don't wish this to reflect poorly on authors, but I'm finding it difficult to feel fully invested in the stories I read. Grief has a way of dulling things around you, and stripping old pleasures from you. I enjoyed my last Denise Hunter read, The Second Story Bookshop. Plus, I liked the first Hunter book I read, Bookshop by the Sea. This book, More Than Friends, was one of the few standalone books slated in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge.

Jenna Greene lost her firefighter father in his line of work. Ever since, she has sworn she will not date a firefighter. However, when her best friend, Tyson, hints at wanting to move their relationship into something more, she is tempted. The story takes place on Chincoteague Island. I had read Misty of Chincoteague when I was much younger. But I really hadn't thought of that book in the time since.

The flawed characters face typical challenges. The storyline about Jenna's mother adds extra conflict to move the plot along. Each character's inner and outer conflicts ring true and realistic. This is a perfectly reasonable choice for Christian romantic fiction.

Book Review: Tragedy to Triumph

Reuel Nygaard's book, Tragedy to Triumph, was nestled on my downstairs bookshelf amid the other Christian titles. Seeking a new addition to my morning devotional time, I pulled it out and decided while it might be a difficult read, it might also be exactly what I need. Nygaard's 23-year-old son, Kelly, took his own life. We are not sure if our son, Trevor, acted with intention. He had been texting his dad, just a few hours before his time of death, telling him when he needed to be picked up from work. Perhaps he felt if he just took a little of the drugs, it would help him get through his shift. We cannot know for certain, but the devastation is the same, regardless of intent.

Like Trevor, Kelly Nygaard was a promising young man with a troubled heart. His parents experienced all the standard questions, like "what if we had noticed the signs?" and "what if we had intervened in time?" Kelly was driven by depression. Our son's anxiety drove him to addiction, which led to his death. This was difficult to read, yes. But, it was also affirming. I marked one passage where Nygaard tells of their certainty that Christ's blood forgives sin--past, present, and future. Their son had accepted Christ's forgiveness and grace. He declared, "Kelly died of an illness... God... would [not] turn away his own child who had suffered and died a painful death."

I looked the author up. He is deceased now, and with his son in heaven. God got this family through the tragic demise of their child; He can certainly get us through, as well. We intend to cling to Him just as firmly as Trevor clung to the Lord amid his trials.

Mid-month Mention: Jesus Writing Month

After reading, loving, and highly recommending Beth Brower's Emma M. Lion series, I happily stumbled upon a delightful Substack written by Mara Rowan. She writes under "Tenant in the Garret." She discusses all things Emma and her suitors. While I personally haven't chosen a side on this debate, I love reading her perspective on this issue. Thus, I followed her Substack.

A few weeks ago, she highlighted a writing opportunity. My faithful readers will know that I have struggled to maintain my old writing pursuits. In the battle with my addicted son, Trevor, the traumas and pressures seemed to squeeze out my energies and motivations for anything other than my morning pages and my blog posts. The struggle began in 2023, when he overdosed and I performed CPR until paramedics revived him with Narcan. I know many who say writer's block is not real; they see it simply as an excuse for not pushing through the silence. Every attempt to work on a project felt stifled. I came to accept my liminal space. Making peace was better than berating myself for my inconsistency.

Although immediately drawn to this mentioned writing opportunity, I hesistated to join. I did not want to take a space that could be used by someone more likely to succeed in this venture. Thus, I sat on the email for a while and prayed about it. Even now, I don't know if I can or will make good on this prospect. But, I pulled the trigger anyway.

I'm joining Jesus Writing Month this November! I haven't participated in National Novel Writing Month in almost a decade. Every November, from 2009-2018, I reached for 50,000 words, only stopping in 2019, when we discovered our son's addiction. Former NaNoWriMo participant, Justice Tilsher, created a community for writers to steward the stories God has given them. 

Jesus Writing Month is a FREE 30-day writing REVIVAL (Don't you love that word? I do! May it be a revival that stirs my spirit and my talent!). It is intended for Christian writers who want to write with greater peace, freedom, and faithfulness to Christ. Instead of word count (the key motivator in NaNoWriMo), the focus shifts to answering God's call to steward gifts and talents.

Are you a Christian writer eager to give back to God what He has placed in your hands? Why not join me? 

If you follow this link, you can sign up now!

Don't delay like I did, because spaces are limited! If you sign on after it fills, you can still follow along (but you might miss the community options). Want to write with me in November? If you do, and if you join, please let me know you are swimming in these waters with me. I may be a salmon, swimming against the current of my grief, but you might be a torrentfish (adapted to life in shallow, fast-flowing rapids).

Book Review: Theo of Golden - Highly Recommend

I'll join the crowd. Allen Levi's debut self-published novel, Theo of Golden, has garnered the attention of the masses, and with good reason. It is "[a] word-of-mouth smash hit," according to The New York Times. Theo is a delightful character! I believe everyone who reads this book, will wish for a Theo in their life. This book was a joy to read, even if it touched on sorrow while I was drowning in grief over the loss of my son. I had to jot down passages that resonated.

When Theo arrives in the town of Golden, he is immediately struck by an extensive display of portraits hanging on the walls of the local coffee shop. His mind concocts a scheme and he begins to purchase them, one at a time, to return them to their subjects. Each time he meets another individual at the famed bench of exchange, he learns about their life and gives them encouragement. He deflects questions about himself, but draws out every person he meets.

As the inside cover proclaims, it is "a story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen... a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another." Oh, the world needs more Theos! I wish I could be a Theo. It made me think, "What can I do to uplift and encourage others?"

I could relate to this about the loss of Theo's child:

"Every thought of Tita made Theo gasp and sob at the nauseating finality of her death. The impossibility of her return, the endlessness of his waiting for her presence, the suffocating silence of the house, his inability to find any words to express what he felt, and the haunting realization that it did not have to happen drove Theo to near madness.... His suffering was aggravated by a sense of guilt that took the form of a single tormenting question, 'Did I not protect my child?'"

I could relate to Theo's explanation of port wine:

"Vintage is God's work. A grower cannot make it happen.... The roots can only grow in stony, difficult ground. The pruner's shears cut deep. The grapes are crushed and kept in the dark for decades. For the sake of the sweetness. For this very moment."

Theo's response to Tony's description of the loss of his friend, Bobbo, felt poignant: "In one sense, yes, it was an end. A terrible end. But maybe not the end. Maybe an end with a future."

I had to read this painful passage, a tribute to Simone's parents, aloud to my youngest son:

"I know what it is to love a child and to want above all else in life, that they be good and wise and happy. In honoring your son tonight, we also honor you. It is written somewhere that 'most people die with all of their songs still inside them.' Thank you for protecting Simone from that terrible fate. Because of you, he blesses us."

What a blessing this book was to me. Even though grief was front and center, it was a healing balm. If you haven't picked this book up yet, I highly recommend you do. There are too few really good things in life. Theo's character is one of them.

Book Review: One Summer

I had prescheduled review posts for several weeks when my son unexpectedly died in July. This was beneficial, because I didn't have to stress about writing book reviews. While I read very little for almost two weeks, I was surprisingly able to return to reading, even in my grief. It provided a distraction from the pain. But, I'm realizing, it has the feel of reading under water. My sense of how to review a book is greatly challenged. Even the outstanding books, don't feel as outstanding as they may have if I weren't reading under water. So, I apologize if my reviews lack luster or verve. I am lusterless, de-verved.

One Summer, by David Baldacci, is a book I checked out for listening on my car rides. After really enjoying Baldacci's Strangers in Time, I eagerly selected this novel (again, quickly, from the shelves). Jack Armstrong wants one more Christmas with his family. Doctors gave him weeks to live, and he's down to his final days. In a strange reversal of fortunes, his wife dies in a car accident.  Jack's kids are farmed out to family. Then, Jack begins to gain strength and defy his terminal diagnosis. Regaining his kids, he hopes to celebrate the summer where his wife grew up.

This novel is full of the conflicted dynamics that make up many families. There's no way around it, families are messy! Jack's is messy enough for two. So many emotions swirl: grief, jealousy, selfishness, arrogance, and spite. Will Jack and the kids get the summer they desired, or will their dreams be shattered by fractured family hostilities? I didn't like it as much as Strangers in Time, perhaps because it wasn't set in England. Moreover, I despised the mood music included in an attempt to ramp up the listener's emotional reaction. I think it was a clean read (maybe some language). Still, I'm willing to seek another Baldacci title.

Book Review: The Night Bus

After enjoying Tessa Bickers' The Book Swap, I selected her newer title, The Night Bus. I will admit, I was not ripe for it, since I was knee-deep in the early days of grieving. Still, it did bide the time when I walked on the treadmill (more often than I'd have liked, due to air quality issues). Daisy Douglas is conflicted about the wedding she's planning. When her bus breaks down, she ends up meeting the strange man on the bus who has been compulsively reading one book for months on her morning trek to work. Tom believes the book holds the key to why his girlfriend broke up with him. Daisy promises to help him woo the girl back, but as they work toward this goal, sparks begin to flicker. The characters were sweet, but the tale sometimes predictable. I'm grateful for the distraction it provided from my exercise.

📒 Content Caution: sex and language

Book Review: A God Who Acts

Harry Blamires was a friend of C. S. Lewis. This book, A God Who Acts: Recognizing the Hand of God in Suffering and Failure, was a companion in my devotional reading time just prior to my son's death. A passage from the front of the book sums up much of what I ruminated on when Trevor passed away without attaining the ministry we begged God to give him. "What have we the right to expect when we invoke God's blessings upon our schemes and ventures, when we pray for his help and guidance in our personal affairs? Is the hand of God to be discerned in our failures as well as in our successes?" What do we do with all those intense prayers we prayed but never realized? God's will was done. I have no doubt.

Man is not the initiator, "conceiving a desirable course of action, bringing it to God's notice as one might send a letter to an M.P., and then waiting for a favourable reponse--hoping, as we say, that the idea will be adopted.... He is an initiating God. His incarnate encounter with humanity is a dramatic action whose plot was conceived in heaven, not a piece of cosmic legislation pushed through the high courts in response to human petition."

Our Christian vocation is to serve God. To work with Him as He acts in our world. Some are called to suffer more than others, but God is in every detail. We can trust Him to get it right. Just like in the life of Joseph, as outlined by Alistair Begg, God is in our successes and our failures.

Book Review: The Bright Years

[Note: This was the last book review I wrote before my 21-year-old, addicted son died of overdose. I am leaving it as I wrote it that day. I certainly could not pick this book up now!]

How I wish I couldn't relate to this much-lauded book! Set in Texas, Sarah Damoff's debut novel, The Bright Years, deals with love and loss, secrets and addiction. It chronicles the life of the Bright family, as told from three perspectives. The husband Ryan is hiding an addiction. The wife Lillian is hiding a birth. Amid these secrets and tumultuous challenges, daughter Georgette struggles to endure and thrive in a life full of trouble. The story slowly unwinds to reveal the fallout of their humanity and fragility. It fills the reader with an ache of both beauty and tragedy.

What strikes me most about this book, is that it clearly demonstrates grace and redemption amid torment and brokenness. Life can be such a delicate thing! Loss, while difficult to bear, can break us open to appreciate the blessings we experience. Without the rain, do we know to value the sun? It is a hard book to read, but a positive experience in the end. Anyone loving an addict will wish they didn't recognize the truths and examples revealed in this fictional tale. And if you are fortunate enough to explore this fiction from afar, thank your lucky stars that in reading, you only have to experience this second-hand. 

I explored Sarah Damoff's website. She looks so young to have written a book with such deep insights. The page for this book offers a reading group guide, a playlist, and the first chapter of the book. This story holds much conversational fodder. It would make a great book club selection.

2026 - Third Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, genre, the page count, and a grading scale (💖5 page-turner - highly recommend, 4 page-turner - enjoyed, 3 page-turner - good, 2 page-turner - meh, and 1 page-turner - regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the third quarter of 2026 (links to full reviews can be found in the side-bar, or after 2026, found through the search bar at the right):

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle - What if you had a coin allowing one do-over in your life? What would you go back to change? General Market Fiction. 242 pages, 📃📃📃📃

A Sketch of the Life and Labors of George Whitefield by J. C. Ryle - A concise account of George Whitefield's life, preaching, and ministry during the Great Awakening. A great follow-up read after seeing the outstanding movie, A Great Awakening. Christian Biography. 78 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 1-1/3 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

Launch Out into the Deep: When the Deep Becomes Holy Ground by Sarah Trent - After following Sarah's writings on Facebook, I eagerly swept up this small devotional full of encouragement for the difficult journeys of life. 138 pages, 📃📃📃📃 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher, is sent on a mission to save Earth and humanity from a threat to the sun which would make life unsustainable. Great for those interested in science. General Fiction. 496 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

It's a God Thing! Inspiring Stories of Life-Changing Friendships by Larry Baker with Becky Lyles - Larry Baker is a hairdresser/evangelist. Through building friendships, he forges relationships that lead others to seek Christ. Christian Living. 139 pages, 📃📃📃📃

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate - Stuffed animals work with a cat to get two valuable bears where they belong. Children's Fiction. 255 pages, 📃📃📃

Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury - Two novellas: "Somewhere a Band is Playing," and "Leviathan '99." Science-fiction is not really my first choice. Science-fiction. 224 pages (I listened in audio form, 4 CDs, 4-3/4 hours), 📃📃

His Redeeming Love by Jonathan Edwards - 30 devotionals providing stirring thoughts from the great revivalist, based on a scripture passage. Christian Devotional. 151 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

Nothing Ventured and Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer - The first two in the William Warwick series, these are stories of art theft, murder accusations, Scotland Yard investigations, and legal trials. High-paced, with all Archer's expected twists. Crime Fiction. 640 pages total (read 336, listened on Hoopla, 8-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

God's Smuggler to China by Brother David - In a similar vein to Brother Andrew's ministry, Brother David's goal is to get a million Bibles into China. Very convicting and inspiring. Christian Autobiography. 223 pages, 📃📃📃

Just Out There Somewhere (Thoughts About Moving On) by Kyle L. White - I'm partial to Kyle's writing. I love how he observes the world around him and draws insights from ordinary things. Christian Essays. 59 pages, 📃📃📃📃

By Design: God's Distinctive Calling for Women by Susan Hunt - Men and women are different and God has a specific plan for each of the sexes. When we live within our design framework, we will find satisfaction and fulfillment. Christian Women's Studies. 189 pages, 📃📃📃 

💖The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (Vol. 1-8) by Beth Brower - What a delightful dip into British Victorian Society! While a bit unrealistic, as Emma has more freedoms than that time would have allowed, it was great fun to listen to these installments of Emma's story. I anxiously await the release of the 9th book. British Literary Fiction. (1903 pages total - I listened to all on Hoopla, 59-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃📃📃

💖Stronger Than the Storm by Deena Adams - This excellent debut novel covers the gamut of emotions parents battle when a child makes self-destructive choices. Stayed up past bedtime reading. Christian Fiction. 372 pages, 📃📃📃📃📃

Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty With God Transforms Your Soul by Kyle Strobel & John Coe - Prayer mystifies. These authors assert the most important thing is honesty with God in your conversations with Him. Christian Living. 216 pages, 📃📃📃

We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison - A reverse Parent-Trap story, Madeline and Cooper fake dating to stop their divorced parents from dating. YA Romance. 304 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 7-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃

Pray Big: Learn to Pray Like an Apostle by Alistair Begg - Begg encourages readers to boldness and vision as they bring their prayers to a big, big God. Christian Living. 101 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 2-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃

Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing, and Living the Truth of Your Life by Leslie Leyland Fields - What an outstanding Christian guide to writing memoir or autobiographical fiction! This is a must-read if you're a Christian wanting to share your story for God's glory. Writing Instruction. 224 pages (I accessed as e-book on Hoopla), 📃📃📃📃-1/2

To Find Where She Belongs by Robin Lee Hatcher - Irish immigrant Keely Boyle flees England hoping to find a new life on a ranch in Idaho. Christian Historical Romance. 258 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 6-3/4 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace - This is a vitally important topic in our fractured and self-absorbed world today. Interpersonal Relations/Self-help. 288 pages, 📃📃📃📃

The Summer of Second Chances by K. L. Walther - Olivia Lupo heads to Martha's Vineyard to retrace the steps of her beloved grandmother and finds romance. Young Adult Romance. 376 pages, 📃📃📃

Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments by Rachel Wojo - Rachel's prayer journey and prayer principles will enhance and increase your prayer life. Christian Living. 240 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck - Background information on the composition and use of 101 beloved hymns. Christian Living. 288 pages, 📃📃📃📃

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham - Daphne Austen and Finn Dashwood makes sparks fly in Wisteria, North Carolina, as rival shop owners and neighbors. Clean Rom-com. 416 pages, 📃📃📃📃-1/2

You're In Good Company: The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up by Ashleee Gadd, ed. - This collection of essays and recipes is packaged in a beautifully appealing book, perfect for gifting to a mother or friend in your life. Christian Living. 221 pages, 📃📃📃

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix - Fun to revisit the stories of these two Christian greats and think of their devoted friendship and its cooling. Graphic Biography. 224 pages, 📃📃📃📃-1/2

Things I Wish I Told My Mother by Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo with James Patterson - A mother-daughter trip provides the opportunity to speak life into a caustic relationship. Women's Fiction. 305 pages, 📃📃📃  

💖The Hand of God: Finding His Care in All Circumstances by Alistair Begg - Considers the providential hand of God in the life of Joseph. We can be certain God's in control, even when things are going against us. Christian Living. 208 pages, 📃📃📃📃📃

Missing Our Boy!

Please keep us in your prayers. This final weekend in September will be a difficult one. Trevor should be turning 22. We should be celebrating with an ice cream cake or some other treat he deprived himself of for so long (we did decide to buy a cake). In July of 2025, Trevor moved into a halfway house in Lafayette and began working out regularly. He was passionate! His goal was to become a personal trainer. He was working on the certification coursework when he died this past July. Bodybuilding became a supplemental goal. He set his sights on the 2026 Hoosier Flex Bodybuilding Competition. That competition recently shifted from Hoosier Flex to NPC Battle of the Bend.

Watching his progress must have been gratifying, as he struggled with weight issues for much of his life. He was sculpting his body to look as he'd always dreamed. While pursuing this goal, he sought to build a platform. Thus, he opened an Instagram account to chart his progress and demonstrate what he could help others achieve. He posted before and after pictures saying he "went from ill built to Hill built." I thought it a creative and appropriate business tag-line, "Go from ill-built, to Hill-built!"

The competition takes place today. He kicked himself for all he lost because of his relapse. On his first day at the treatment center, he texted, "I'm so disgusted with myself for allowing myself to ruin something I cared about so deeply. You know bodybuilding was my life. It was the only thing that made me feel like I was making any sort of progress. Even if I was stuck financially, legally, spiritually, etc., it felt like I was progressing if I made that weight go higher." How I wish he were here to participate! Instead, I will post a few photos (I tried to snag these from his Instagram, so I apologize for the poor quality).

Book Review: The Hand of God - Highly Recommend

After reading Pray Big, my best friend from college recommended Alistair Begg's The Hand of God. This book considers the providence of God in the life of Joseph. God knew the timing I needed for this read. I read this just prior to Trevor's death, when things seemed to be spinning out of control. The story of Joseph, as told in Genesis, is a walk of complete trust in God when life circumstances seem pitted against him.

Begg starts by considering Joseph's ancestors. His father, Jacob, wrestled with God. Both his father and his grandfather, Isaac, played favorites. Although he comes from a dysfunctional family, Joseph also stems from the line of Abraham (great-grandfather), who followed God's lead into the unknown and believed in His promise of many descendents. All along Joseph's life story, God is leading him into uncharted waters with great, yet hidden, purpose. The Hand of God provides powerful evidence that God is at work, even when things seem in disarray. Joseph was almost killed by his brothers, sold into slavery, accused of rape, imprisoned unjustly, and forgotten. It seemed as if all was against him. Yet, truly, all was in place for his key role in saving the children of Israel from famine. But also, for his role in bringing them to a place where their eventual bondage led them to cry out to God. (May our bondage lead us to cry out to God!)

I'm considering purchasing this book in paperback. I listened to my library's Hoopla audio copy and often wished I could have taken notes. While I could have re-listened at a slower pace to jot things down, I decided it would be better to simply revisit the book again in a few years. A second reading will glean just as much. For now, I'm encouraged to remember God, in His providence, may allow unlikely events to lead (albeit, in a hidden way) to His divine will.

I've been using The Sing Hymnal my husband gave me on Mother's Day. Every morning, after my prayers, I try to sing 2 hymns from the hymnal (my sight-singing is rusty). I was in "The Providence of God" section and came across "God Moves in Mysterious Ways," by William Cowper. (Cowper is often pronounced and spelled Cooper, as I read about him Companions in the Darkness.) Begg recites from this hymn in his book. The lyrics pack a firm truth punch, so I will share them here (I'm especially moved by verses 3-6 and have emphasized some lines that stood out to me in the days before Trevor's death and now):

"God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform; he plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. 

"Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill he treasures up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will. 

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head.

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence he hides a smiling face.

"His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding ev'ry hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flow'r.

"Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain."

The bud does, indeed, have a bitter taste for us now. Please, Lord, may the flower it nourishes be sweet and fruitful. Give us strength to trust the hand of God, even when it requires us to give up our dear son! As I told Trevor in June, "God knows your dash. He will not take you a day too soon, or leave you a day too long." How I pray God makes plain the purpose and harvest from my son's life.

Book Review: Things I Wish I Told My Mother

This title resonated. Oh, the many Things I Wish I Told My Mother. Even more, the shattering things I wish I could tell her now. It's probably just as well, as they might break her heart. I was fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with my mother. We had similar interests, tastes, and temperaments. Dementia stole her away and defied sharing events from the last dozen years. This tale is a bit different. The friction between this mother-daughter pair is biting!

What a conflicted relationship between Dr. Liz and Laurie. Dr. Liz is a well-dressed, independent, powerful doctor. She rarely hesitates to let her daughter know her disappointment. Laurie is content in comfortable clothes and quite proud of her artistic flair for advertising, something her mother cannot appreciate. When Dr. Liz faces a heart scare, Laurie decides to treat her mother to a trip back to her mother country, Norway. Dr. Liz insists on adding Paris, the city where Laurie honeymooned with her ex-husband. Laurie doesn't relish reminders, but is willing to pacify her mother in hopes of forging a better relationship.

Some of the dialogue, as these two women spar, is laugh-out-loud funny. We slowly unravel past events that formed Dr. Liz's personality. We watch as Laurie embarks on a romance in the City of Love. Can they mend fences? Will closeness develop between them before it is too late? Can Laurie learn to communicate with her distant and cold mother? I've been on the receiving end of biting criticism. I know how it can shut you down. Laurie takes it in stride, for the most part. This book provides an interesting exploration of the mother-daughter bond.

Book Review: The Mythmakers

I love finding new book recommendations from others in the Rabbit Room Facebook group. The Mythmakers, provides graphic biographies for two literary legends: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The illustrations are delightful. I already knew much of what was shared. I worked in the Wade Center while at Wheaton College, and have read plenty of books on this subject in the time since. Still, it was fun to explore this information again. I did learn a few new parts of the story of their friendship. I knew of the decline over the years, but didn't really remember the cause.

When I think of Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings (the group of writers who gathered at the Bird and Baby pub in Oxford), I'm filled with longing for such a blessed group in my life. I loved my wonderful writer's group in DeKalb, IL, when we lived there. I joined a library writer's group here, but many of the others were not Christians and did not share my worldview or belief system. Then I tried another library's group without success. What Lewis and Tolkien shared was meaningful and rich. It is rare to find such intense comaraderie and connection.

John Hendrix did a great job structuring this graphic work. A lion and a wizard lead the reader as they explore the details of these interesting lives. The artistic aspect of this work adds to the richness of the story. This graphic biography will certainly appeal to anyone interested in the inner workings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I may suggest it to my youngest son, who is currently reading Tolkien's The Hobbit.

Book Review: You're In Good Company

As soon as I read a few essays in this collection titled, You're In Good Company, I wanted to gift this book to my former Bible Study Fellowship group leader. She is a writer, so I'm sure she would appreciate the essays. Moreover, the book is simply beautiful. It is hardcover and contains lovely photography. I'm not usually seeking recipes (and I doubt I'll try any of those listed), yet it was fun to read the fare offered up alongside enticing photographs.

I think I put this book on hold from the library's recent acquisitions list because it deals with hospitality. When I stumbled upon Sue Donaldson's newsletters, book, and website, I felt a tug to embrace this call to hospitality. This is very perplexing as hospitality is not a spiritual gift I possess. Sheesh - even cooking for my family fills me with dread, let alone offering up fare for guests in my less-than-tidy home. But, I'm encountering nudge after nudge regarding friendship and hospitality. For example, my recent read, Mattering. How important it is to invest in others and let them know they matter! Who knows if my shabby hospitality might bless someone else in a way I cannot fathom. I'm still hesitant, but these essays nurtured that tug.

When I read one essay about a stain on a carpet, I immediately realized I had recently read this essay elsewhere. I looked up the author, Sarah Hauser, and discovered that she posts on the Rabbit Room substack. I'm guessing that is where I encountered her before. I also appreciated Ashlee Gadd's essay, "Good Mother's Bake from Scratch and Other Lies I've Believed." The essay, "When Friendships Change," by Sonya Spillman, spoke to deep needs within me. "We'll Be Your Family on Christmas Eve," by Melanie Dale, resonated with me because Sarah Mitchell's family took me in over the Christmas holiday when I could not afford to return from London to Chicago during my work-study period abroad. I would love to implement the lessons from this book. May I rely on God to somehow make it so, if not now (when facing grief, downsizing, and a move), then perhaps when we seek another home!