Hello Reader, it’s so good to see you again. I have missed you.

It has been a very different year for me, and I wish I could say that I understand it all, but that would not be true. I live by faith that I will grow more and more in understanding every day.

The Lord is GOOD!

I was working on my next book; the third in the, “His Voice in My Heart” series, when the Lord called a rest. He simply said, “Why don’t you think more toward spring, rather than Christmas?” “Ok, sure.” So, I thought He wanted me to take it at a slower pace and with that in mind, I kept dabbling at it. He has a way of making His point, when we just don’t seem to get it; and His ‘way’ of choice was to pull the anointing–much like turning out the light. I could either sit there in the dark or take the hint. Either way, I will not be writing without Him–not by ability, or by choice!

Understand, this is just not my work!

This “rest” has taken me through some growing pains, but it was when I embraced it all, and said to the Lord, “Seasons change and this will too; don’t let me miss what I am to learn in this!” That was the moment that things began to turn.

Abide!

So as I emerge with an inkling that I will soon be writing that book again, the Lord has given me a testimony to share . . .

Back when I was writing, I was getting a nudge in my heart that I would be needing a new computer. As it seemed to be working fine, except for the keyboard getting a little glitchy and battery showing it’s age, I sort of shelved the nudge for later. Soon after, He stopped my writing. My computer became just a source to connect to work and check on accounts; so all the more I wasn’t looking into replacing it.

One day, I wasn’t even sitting at my computer, but a cup of coffee was; and as I fussed with stuff nearby, somehow I managed to slap that cup of coffee all over the keyboard of my laptop. Rushing it to the laptop hospital, that night, it came to me again about getting a new computer; though the other one was working except for the keyboard. So, I started looking online and the next day, locally, asked to see an open box computer that said “fair condition.” The outside of the box declared scratches and dents, missing cords, pen and paperwork. However, I was in a hurry and didn’t read the statement sticker on the box. I asked to see the computer itself and when the salesman unboxed it, neither of us could find a scratch on it. Being in a hurry, I asked him if it had the cord, and He replied, “Yes.” Not checking to confirm, but trusting what he said, I bought it–big mistake! I got home later and found that it not only didn’t have the pen and paperwork, but no cords; nothing but the computer itself. I took the whole box apart and found that it was just as the sticker stated.

How could I be so irresponsible?

I looked up all the parts that I was missing and found that it would cost close to $250 to replace them. I decided to just take it all back and order a new one the next day. It was disappointing, because I thought I was getting a good deal.

The next morning I was about to go there, first thing, when the Lord spoke to me to look in the box. I obeyed, but reminded the Lord that I had taken everything out of that box, even the little false bottom box that holds the computer up higher in the box, but there was nothing. He must have smiled at that, because when I pulled out that little black box from the bottom, this time it was heavy! There, in that box, were the cord, the pen and the instructions. Everything that the sticker on the box declared missing–all were new, still in wrapping.

I rejoiced!

I was especially glad, because they called to say they couldn’t get the keyboard for my computer and told me to come and get my laptop while they searched for one. They sent me home with a loaner USB keyboard, that I used to transfer all my stuff to a USB storage and then to the new computer. I used the old laptop for two weeks, even loaded Photoshop on it and used it, which is a big file. In two weeks time they called to say they got the keyboard and I took the laptop in for them to replace the keyboard. After a weeks vacation, I called to ask about my computer only to hear that they couldn’t even boot it up. I was shocked. It had been working just fine! He said he would continue to work on it, but said someone must have spilled something on it. I told him “Yeah, I told you that when I took it in.” So I had my new computer and wasn’t in a hurry, but hoped they could fix it as the Photo Shop is now incompatible with the new technology in my computer.

In the meantime, I was enjoying my new computer so much, and was careful not to eat near it. One day however, I just set a bowl of cereal down by it, to move my computer out of the way, and somehow history repeated itself and I slapped that bowl of cereal all over my new computer! Oh no, not again! I called immediately, an hour before they closed, and begged him to open the computer and dry it out right away. The keyboard wasn’t working, the video wouldn’t play and other things were scrambling fast. He agreed and I rushed it to the laptop hospital to share a room right next to my other computer. How could this be happening??

I wanted to stay to hear the verdict, but they wouldn’t let me hang around. I went home with my heart heavy and mind whirling; so very mad at myself for not learning the lesson the first time! Pulling into my driveway, I got out to get the mail. Right then, the Lord spoke, strong, right from my chest. “Your computer is going to be all right.” He said it twice. I expect He wanted to confirm it because I was so upset. It was so clearly His Voice.

Clinging to those words, I waited.

It came to me, that weekend, about what had happened with my other computer. In revelation, I knew that they didn’t open and clean it when I first took it in. In fact, it came to me, that they didn’t open it at all until they went to replace the keyboard. I decided right then to give it to the Lord. As hard as it is to lose a working computer, I felt that I needed to let it go and be thankful for the new one, that He said would be ok.

When the guy called to tell me the computer was working, but the old one still was not, I point-blank, but without emotion, stated that he didn’t open it to dry it out. He said he did and cleaned it too. To which I replied, “Yes, but you didn’t do that when I first took it in, did you?” He admitted that he hadn’t and we both knew that was why it had stopped working. It had ruined the motherboard.

When I went in for my computer, I took him my books and thanked him for saving my computer; explaining that I couldn’t write the next book without it. I got the computer home and found the face recognition wasn’t working. Taking it back in, two guys looked it over. The webcam and camera no longer worked. The whole screen would have to be replaced or get an accessory webcam. I don’t use cam, except for face recognition, and so I took it home; sad that it was no longer perfect, but grateful that it worked! It was a small price to pay. That night though, I prayed and asked the Lord to fix it for me. He can do anything. I repented for not learning my lesson and asked if He would make it perfect again so it wouldn’t remind me every time I used it of how foolish I had been.

The next morning, my laptop worked perfectly–facial recognition and all!

I expect that if I had come down hard on the computer guy for his mistake, that God wouldn’t have fixed my mistake. The best part of this whole story is that when I was pulling into the computer hospital to get my laptop back, I got a call from an ex-prisoner, that the Lord had led me to at a coffee shop; a whole ‘nuther story in itself! He has been reading my books and he called to say he is halfway through the first “His Voice in My Heart” and plans to read it all over again before he moves on to the next. He was so excited and, my friends, this is what it is all about!

I write for him.

I write for HIM!