Always

Well, it’s been over a week since I’ve entered the gate.

Please forgive my absence.

As a wife, mother, and a support to many families of children with special needs, I have been literally exhausted.

Thank you for your patience.

God has been showing me many signs and signals of what’s ahead in my journey here on earth. I have been in prayer and have felt His presence more than ever recently—because I’m finally allowing myself to receive—completely receive His promises.

He really is who He says He is.

He really is here with me always.

And He is with you always.

Always.

The facts never cease to amaze me.

He has shown me His goodness and mercy over and over again, and I often hear Him telling me, “How much more do I have to show you? What do you need from me to completely receive my love—totally and completely?”

Over the next few weeks I would like to take you on my journey that the Lord has been guiding.

Through His love and His promises, He has saved me through my circumstances.

At times it may get lengthy, but hang in there with me—because just as He has saved me He can save you.

My prayer is that you will find at least one word of encouragement from my testimony.

I will pray that the Lord will guide the exact sets of eyes that were meant to read my gate entries.

I look forward to sharing the facts surrounding my salvation, and how God’s grace continues to overwhelm me…

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication.

Like NBC and Disney....but better!

If you have kids and/or a TV, you know there are times when some channels have a theme of sorts where every show of that evening has a connection. I remember NBC having characters visit each others shows all on one night. Recently on Disney I recalled each show having a "wish gone amiss" episode.

Well today's blog (late again!) is like that, but better. Not because I'll do the theme a great justice, but because I sense God wants to break some misconceptions through simple definitions. To do this, I'm crossing against my own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/2008/04/journey-with-joy-mondays-part-two-on-is.html.

That post was a bit deeper than that blog is and uses terms that might be new or scary to those even in Christian circles. To those who do not have personal relationship with Christ, well my guess is they might be down right freaky and scary. They were to me.

So there are terms I'm going to list. If you are looking for the Anne Graham Lotz or Beth Moore definition found in the Greek or Hebrew, well, you are at the wrong place. I'm a simpleton and God uses that. I'm finally at the place that I get that is how He created me. Please, please take what you read here and look the terms up in the Bible, you can even go to the right of this blog, and click on the online Bible. Don't follow me, follow Him.

Here are words that tripped me up for a long time:

Born Again---It was John 3-7 that explains a logical question Nicodemus asked Jesus.
5.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7.
You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

Born again was a term I didn't understand and because I didn't, I made fun of it. A kid in college returned from summer break announcing he was born again. I didn' get it. I knew he didn't go back in his mom's womb for a second birth, but I didn't know what this "church-y" term meant.

This is what I think of when I think of the term. Before I knew Christ in a personal way, as a friend, as One I talk to throughout the day, I was a person thinking of only one person-myself. I was full of the flesh. It was about me pure and simple. When I prayed and asked Jesus to be part of my daily life and admitted I was a sinner and He was the ONLY way to bridge that gap that sin gives, I knew the old me, the one before Christ, would have to be gone. I wanted it gone. The "old man" me, the fleshy part, died on the cross with Jesus and because He rose from the dead, I (and anyone who chooses) can live a new life as well. Accepting Him in my life started a new life. I may look the same on the outside, yet so much has changed. People have even looked at pictures of me and they could point out the "before" and "after" Jesus because of the glow on my face. I don't come right out and say "hey everyone, I'm born again" but if someone point blank asks me I'll admit it, but add what that means. I want to absolutely crush the thought that I am religious. I want no part of religion. What I do want and have is relationship. I absolutely would want nothing less.

Speaking in tongues----Yikes this is a touchy one and again, if you are looking for doctrine, that's not my gift. Search the Scriptures, it is a gift to covet but I was confronted once and told if I wasn't speaking in tongues, I was destined to hell. I do not agree with that and I do not find that Biblical. If you do we can debate it, but that tongue speaking man was a horrible model of faith in other ways, and set me back in fear so far that I did NOT want that because I didn't want to act like that guy.

Speaking in tongues to me is made more scary and complicated than it needs to be. I do not think it needs to be something that belongs strictly to the Pentecostal or Assemblies of God type churches, but they seem to be the denominations known for it. However I know Baptists, Catholics and Wesleyans who know Christ in a personal way who in their private prayer time use words that are not from their normal language.

I have heard stories of people praying in a prayer language only to have something from another country come up and say, "That was my home language. How did you know that---you were fluent, praising God." That person had no clue of that language.

I've heard the gift used in missions experiences when a border needed to be crossed but there was a language barrier. One person spoke in English yet the guard heard fluent Russian. When the Russian spoke back, the English person heard perfect English. That's God working through the Holy Spirit and that's not scary, it's cool!

For me, I learned that no one seeking this has to be up on altars screaming and yelling speeches in another language. I went to God in my own time, in my own way because I tend to be more introverted. I just praised God over and over. Say the word hallelujah, just keep saying it. Stop thinking (like I did) about what is going on, but just get lost in praising Him. He died for you, He is alive for you, isn't that worth some thanks?

You may hear yourself say something as simple as "ba" back and dismiss it. Don't. That is the beginning and it's worth rejoicing. Don't stop. Start small and watch your faith grow as the words do. I honestly have my prayer language time almost anywhere but church. They are special times between me and the Lord and I've enjoyed those times folding laundry, driving, and when I can't sleep. What I love most about the speaking in tongues/prayer language experience is guess who can't get in on that communication? The devil. As you speak you might be interceding for others you don't even know, perhaps you are speaking strategy from the Lord, but whatever it is, the devil can't figure it out. I love that.

Please, I was afraid of this for YEARS. I'd love to say everyone treated me with understanding but folks, if you are judging someone for not speaking in tongues, telling them they don;t have the faith, pounding on their forehead and nearly knocking them down to get them to comply----I take issue with that. God is about love. Try it.

Slain in the Spirit---again, this one carries fear and it should not have to, but I also know it's an experience that well meaning people have misused and turned others away. Remember Moses and the Burning Bush? God's presence is so strong, so holy that you can't stand under it even if you wanted to. Where He is, it's holy ground. The Holy Spirit is part of God, He is He, not it. The Holy Spirit is a teacher, counselor and guide. He is so much more than your personal Jiminy Cricket. When the Holy Spirit shows up, you may experience or observe different manifestations. They are going to seem off to you because you are looking at it from a human perspective and you want to react that way and put God in that same box. He hasn't changed in over 2000 years but His ways differ. Some may come into the presence of the Lord and feel it so strongly they are standing one minute and down the next. I've seen this many times, but I've also seen it abused. If you are forcing yourself down (I have a mentor who has seen people fluff their skirts out in preparation of falling) or if someone praying for you is pressing you so hard in an effort to push you down, well that bugs me. God is so powerful and holy if He needs your help, He'll let you know. Can I be honest? I have not yet experienced this because I am a controlling person. I want to fall on my terms and I'm afraid. Yet I don't want to be afraid, but I want to happen God's way and time, not mine.

Revival---This is when God shows up and blows any plan anyone has. You can't in my opinion schedule it, manipulate it. Can I be bold enough to say I don't think you can imitate it, I don't think you are supposed to. I know many churches have revival meetings but I don't think it is the same as a revival. For instance, right now I'm watching http://www.god.tv/. A month ago Todd Bentley was scheduled for a conference in Lakeland, Florida. He is someone God has gifted as a "hose" for healing. If you hear man ever take credit for works of God, be cautious. Jesus should always get the credit. Todd started sharing what God was giving in information and direction and as of tonight they are in a convention center full at 8,000. He has been there every night for a month. That wasn't his plan, the church that originally hosted him, God just showed up and people are getting healed. Again, this is an area that has been abused so don't believe me, go after God and ask Him to show you. People are getting medical documentation to back up what God has done and on line I have seen and even experienced amazing things while watching. There have been revivals where people on the streets selling drugs, their bodies, all sorts of stuff with no intention of asking Jesus in their life drop it all and run to the place where God is working. They pray, God moves, and they leave those lifestyles. There are revivals where people seek the destiny for their lives. Revivals can bring unique reactions from people, again, when you have the presence of God and His angels minstering over you, you can't operate under that on your own. People may shake, dance, cry, laugh or stagger as if drunk (it's called drunk in the spirit), sing, or like above, just fall right down. If you are trying to imitate those moves because you see it in someone else or another church and you want that, I don't think it's going to work. I know in the 1990's a church in Brownsville and an incredible revival experience and other churches came to visit out of curiosity. They returned to their churches and wanted it to be replicated exactly as it was in Brownsville. It split churches because it got so out of hand, I know because I saw it first hand. Keep in mind God had a plan for Brownsville, and He has one for you. It might not be the same, but it might not. Let the Holy Spirit be the guide.

Grace---Unmerited favor. You are given something good you don't deserve. My favorite story is of the student who breaks the rules and is supposed to receive a paddle from the administrator. The administrator calls him into the office and hands the paddle to the boy. The boy questioned him and the principal said to take the paddle and use it on the principal. The boy asked why. The principal took the paddle for him and said, "because I'm giving you grace." Grace is what Jesus extended to us. It is what is lacking in the body of Christ today, yours truly included. I desire grace.

I hope these terms give you a light bulb moment instead of the deer in a headlights look. I just don't want anyone to fear, stay away from or leave a situation because you don't understand it. I regret those years I felt and still feel paralyzed by fear.

I told you I'm a simpleton. I'll leave you with something so simple that it will be profound but wrap it around these terms and seek Him. Here's the simple statement.

God is love.

He loves you.

Thanks for reading today and being patient as our schedule is off a bit. I'm looking for volunteer writers this May to help me over at http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. I'm participating in the daily blogging challenge called NaBloPoMo where the theme is "voices". I feel God wants me to give up my voice on that blog and ask others to take my place. I have some slots filled, others who are tentative, but many openings remain. Whether or not you have a blog I encourage you to consider writing. You can write one post on any topic. You can write asking to be anonymous. You can be an author or business owner who wants to get your name out. I'm quite flexible. If you have a blog you can send me a little introduction and then send a link to your own blog and a favorite post of yours. Interested? First come first served---send your post and an optional bio and picture to jarduini@faithwriters.net. Thanks!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Switching It Up

As we stated when this blog began, our heart is to share Christ's love for you but there are days when life gets in the way. All of us have young children and this was my turn to take one to the ER and then a specialist. The praise is all worked out and no further treatment is necessary, but my eyes are closing as I type. I'm beat. I'd rather give you something quality from the Lord than be legalistic because I typically blog Thursdays.

So....I'll be back Monday. If you've ever watched a TV channel (NBC and Disney come to mind) when they take one night and somehow connect all the shows together, that's kind of what I'm thinking will happen Monday. Over at http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/ on Mondays I blog about the book by Joy Chickonoski called "Becoming Lovers, The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ." Well Monday's post is going to be a little heavier than what that blog is used to with some terms that might not seem as mainstream in Christian faith as some are familiar with.

I thought I'd tie it all together the best I can with His leading and blog here explaining the terms in ways I wish I had been told to hopefully help anyone who has their own perspective on those words. That way, if anyone is over at the Surrendered Scribe and seeing words that make them go woah, I'm not so sure about this, I'm praying Monday's blog post here will help.

I hope this makes sense. Call it procastination, call it wisdom, I'm calling it quits for the night and going to bed. Thanks for stopping by. Stop back tomorrow with Kim, and make sure to wish her a belated birthday. If you live near a beach, throw some sand in the air in celebration. She loves all things beach-y!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Jolted

This is one of those crazy days where it is running from one thing to another. It was a night where sleep didn't come easy or often, so now that I'm home, I'm winding down. I feel like what I'm going to share is cheating, by taking you to a link, but at the same time, I sense God wants this to reach some burdened readers today. Not because I wrote it and it happened to me, but because the truth God wants to impart here stopped me in my tracks. I can't shake the image, and I think I' m meant to share it with you.

So please, click on the link that will take you to my Sunday post at the Christian Writers Forum. And let God love on you.

http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/?p=248

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

TGIF

The sun is shining, the air is warm, the birds are singing, and I am so glad it is Friday! The weekend ahead holds hope and promise of time with family, laughter with friends, extra sleep, and worship with the Lord. I'm already looking forward to 'a day of rest.'

This past week has been filled with medical appointments, a front tooth extraction, and surgery for my son. I have spent so much time leaning on Him and His strength just to make it through the days. His peace and love for me has warmed my heart and kept me sane. My only side effect of it all has been my stomach rumbling as if to say, "Okay you have held it all together but I have had enough!" It was a reminder of just how weak my flesh can be in times of trial and tribulation. It was also a reminder of life before relationship, a relationship with Jesus, my Savior and friend.

It was only a few years ago, one cold January day when I let my walls of pain, anxiety, disappointment, anger, and regret down at the altar of a small church. It was a day where I was "sick and tired of being sick and tired." It was a day when I was ready to surrender it all and see what this life of being a 'Christian' was all about.

As I approached the altar the tears were flowing. When I arrived a woman approached me and asked if I wanted to tell her what I wanted prayer for. To ashamed of my sin and struggles I shook my head no. She gently touched my head and began to pray. It was as though she were reading my mind. She prayed for peace in my mind and spirit. She prayed for relationship and trust in Him. And it was there at the altar that I cried and felt Him lift my burden, inviting me to trust Him.

Since that day my walk with the Lord has been like an amusement park roller coaster ride. It has had uphill climbs with downhill delights, twists and turns, acceleration and speed, and moments of sitting on the track while He repaired the brokeness inside me. He has showed me, especially through His written word, how to trust Him as I lift my hands in total surrender anticipating the 'ride of my life.'

The past few years have been a ride like no other. And as the week comes to a close I lift my hands and thank Him for riding with me, strapped in by my side. I cannot imagine the week without Him. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend! Kim

Whatever Happened to Rhoda?

Okay, if you are a Gen X'er, you are probably thinking Rhoda? You mean Mary Tyler Moore's sidekick? Nope, not that one.







I'm thinking about the servant girl in Acts 12 Rhoda. The one who was at Mary's house, "mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying."







I'm not well versed on the role of the servant so I'm not sure if she was praying as well, but she was certainly aware of what was going on. Peter escaped from prison in the most miraculous way, an angel set him free. It was so supernatural and carefree (to the angel at least) that until the angel disappeared, Peter couldn't quite believe it was an angel. He thought it was a vision.







So there is everyone at that house praying for Peter's release. Were they specific to the point of saying 'please send an angel to set him free?' I'm guessing not, but I've been there. You pray and pray and pray some more and when it comes to pass in an amazing way, you can't even fathom it.







This is Rhoda's story. I'm guessing as a servant one of her job's was to answer the door. Peter knocks and announces his arrival. Rhoda is "overjoyed'. So much so, she doesn't even open the door. She runs back to tell everyone else, leaving Peter on the other side of a shut door. Can you just picture it? I just can't see her tapping John Mark on the shoulder and quietly saying, "Hey, um, the door? It's Peter." I see her jumping, screaming, hollering, and whooping it up. A true praise celebration.







Then the housefull of people tell Rhoda she's out of her mind. Still, she isn't giving up. She is so insistent finally they say well it must be his angel. Rhoda wasn't the only persistent one, Peter kept on knocking. Finally "they" opened the door and saw it was Peter. And "they" were astonished.







Boy can I relate. I was an infertility patient that knew in my heart God had children in His plan for us. For our son we prayed Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of His heart." For our daughter we believed God had a promise for us in 1 Samuel 1:27, "For this child we prayed, and He answered our prayer." The funny thing is, when signs of pregnancy came knocking, I wasn't as much like Rhoda as I was the people in the house.







I was violently ill the first time around and thought I had the flu. When it dawned on me this just might be a pregnancy, one test didn't suffice. Even though the test was positive, I had to take another. When it was my pregnancy with my daughter, I didn't even take two tests, I took three. Talk about needing persistent knocking to convince me.







Is that you? Have you prayed and prayed on something and it finally comes to pass and you can't even believe it when it's right at your house? Do you have a Rhoda in your life so overjoyed that you dismiss her? I just came across this story this week and this time around, Rhoda got my attention.







My question---what happened to her? The rest of Peter's story in Acts 12 says that Peter motioned for them to be quiet so he could share how the Lord brought him out of prison. Was Rhoda on the dusty floor, listening intently, praising the Lord? Did she hightail it out of the house Paul Revere style to tell the countryside Peter was free and by an angel no less? Was she pouring some celebratory wine for everyone? Making Peter a splendid post prison meal?







Whatever it was, I bet she was praising Jesus.







Even if in her excitement she neglected to open the door.




Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator.

She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Rainbow Encouragement

(photo by Maria Spencer copyright 2008)

I’ve always loved rainbows. Even before I knew the things of God, I knew there was something very special about rainbows. Their pure hues of vibrant colors have always served as a sign of hope deep within my spirit.

Then once I came to know the Lord, I realized why I always felt connected to rainbows.

“Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (Gen. 9:14)

So what is this covenant and what does it mean in our lives?To me, rainbows represent this covenant from God, that He is working in our lives, and He knows just when to send color to our gray days.

I believe He sometimes sends an actual rainbow in the sky to display His greatness and His promise, but I also feel sometimes He sends us pieces of His rainbows through other means.

My five-year-old daughter is a person with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (the muscles on the left side of her body are tighter than ours). Because of a trauma she experienced as an infant, her body is the way it is. My husband and I have always searched and fought for what treatments and services that we felt were best for her. No matter how much faith we have, sometimes we still doubt whether or not all of our decisions will shape her future for the better.

The other day, I was having a gray kind of day—thoughts of doubts and worry regarding her care were coming at me full speed. I was in desperate need of a sign that we were going in the right direction. Then out of nowhere, I felt compelled to go and look out my back window. There, in beautiful shades of purple, green, yellow and red, was the awesome rainbow pictured above.
Then I heard, “It’s going to be OK, have hope-- hope in Me –I will take care of her. You are doing a good job. Keep believing”—Firm, yet gentle words that could only be from the voice of my heavenly father. In an instant, my breathing became easier, my mind was now clear. His covenant with me and my life was ever present in the form of this beautiful rainbow.

And if that wasn’t enough, He sent another rainbow.
This time, it came in the form of a person on the page of a magazine.
Her name is Abbey Curran.
She is “Miss Iowa” and recently competed in the Miss USA Pageant.
She looks like all of the other beauty queens-except for one detail.
She is a person with cerebral palsy.
A co-worker of mine put an article on my desk, which revealed details about her life, her upbringing, and how she never gave up on her dreams just because she had a physical disability.

This rainbow shone even brighter than the one I saw in the sky two days earlier.
As a Mother, I have had hopes and dreams for my daughter’s life hidden deep within my heart, because only the Lord knows what her future holds.
But on the pages of this magazine, He displayed His covenant with me ever so clearly.
Abby Curran’s life and achievements are a pure sign from Him that those dreams I’ve held on to for my daughter can become a reality.
She will always be an inspiration to me and my family.

So the next time I’m having a gray, cloudy kind of day, I will be able to see the bright, vivid colors of my daughter’s rainbow in Abbey Curran’s smile.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication.

Paving The Way

(www.classroomclipart.com)


Where the Narrow Gate Girls live, it's been a diverse weather season. When my family visited over Easter they noted the potholes are like sinkholes. People are seriously driving deep into them and needing expensive repair work to their cars.

It's not like the road crews aren't out, I've seen them. My dad's last working years were at a town highway department and he often shared his wisdom on patching, paving and the like. I can't remember a lick of what he said, but I can say this...

Temporary fixes are temporary fixes.

The visual God gave me was from last fall on the road below us. It was the first day of school and that was the day the town chose to strip the road down and repave, if I'm getting my terminology right. The thing is, they took the road apart, stripped it down, and made it new.

It was a permanent fix, and this season it's the one road that is smooth driving.

When I reflect on the roads, God showed me it is much like my heart and what He is doing to it. As I blogged today over at The Surrendered Scribe, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/2008/04/stepping-into-clearing.html
health changes last year threw me into a refinement and transformation. I wanted it over fast and easy. I wanted a pothole patch fix.

God in His infinite wisdom, said no. He is stripping the road down to nothing so He can start over. Like the road pave on the first day of school it's incovenient, time consuming, hard and frustrating.

But the end road is a glorious one. Will my life be smooth sailing forever? No, and I don't want it to be that way, I want to need my Savior and if life gets too easy, I tend to forget Him. But this repavement process is worth it.

I feel like Spring is here in my life as much as it is outside. New opportunities, re birth. Summer is a season of activity, roads tend to be heavily used even when under construction. Fall is when things settle in and slow down, chill and finish up before a hibernation period of winter storms full of precipitation. Together all the seasons wear on the roads, so it makes sense they would wear on me too. So although I like the sound of easy fixes in my life, I get frustrated when I see a pothole patch because in short order, it's messed up again and my car falls in.

Can you relate?

What's God doing in your heart? Is He asking you for a repavement---a stripping of sorts to get to your foundation and start over? Are you fighting for a pothole fix, the temporary kind that doesn't last with changing weather and circumstances?

I know the process for me isn't done, but I definitely feel like God did a lot more than a pothole patchwork on me and I am grateful. Will you join me? Will you allow Him to Pave The Way?

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator.

She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.