The Shadow of His Hand by Judith Couchman

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Can we see God in the middle of adversity?  Can we hear Him?  Is He there?  Does He care?  Ms. Couchman's book is an experiential answer to these questions.  This would be a great book to use as part of your daily devotional time.  It's divided up into eight sections with essays that range in length from two to four pages each.  Most of the essays were penned by Ms. Couchman, but she sprinkles the thoughts of others throughout the book.  I'd like to leave you with two thoughts from the book.

Even the teacher who sentenced me to performance nightmares dispensed wise advice to choir members after he announced the leads for our musical.  "If you didn't get a part, give yourself time to feel bad."  He believed that when we're hurt we should allow ourselves enough time to grieve in proportion to the event that stabbed us.  "Then pick up and go on."  I've followed that advice most of my life, recognizing the chasm between grieving a death and a rejected manuscript.  Take time to feel the pain, but don't stay there forever.  It's the way to eventually heal.

 This next quote is from an essay by Jamie Buckingham entitled The Lure of Egypt

 God never brings a hindrance into our lives that He does no intend to be used to open another door that would not have opened otherwise.

I felt encouraged to move forward after reading this book.  I grew to understand the purpose of everything that happens in my life is to make me more holy, more like Christ.  That's something I acknowledged with my head, but I embrace it more now with my heart.

 Until next time...

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