Fresh coffee brewing and the sound of baby squeals echo upstairs, drawing me out of bed. Sweet grand baby clings to mama as eggs cook in a frying pan.
Morning medications and breakfast fill my dad, he will nap again through most of the morning hours so I come upstairs to my bible desk.
Psalm 42 begins with the well known and comforting words, “As a deer…” and a beloved melody dances through my thoughts comforting the aching nooks and filling the dark valley crannies.
My soul thirsts for God, too.
When shall I come and behold Your face?
A trail of lament leads on until the last group of “reminder” lines… the author commanding his soul to hope.
“Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”
It’s a comforting and timely word as we launch a short fictional devotional collaboration this week. (Whew, try to say that three times fast.)
Eight years ago while writing The Quickening, a pause occurred with a direction — “Wait, write a short story for Julie for her 50th birthday.”
Ash Island was birthed amid lenten ashes. Jesus beatitude promises form the premise about a young woman named Christa Lea shipwrecked on Ash Island. She’s not only lost her ship but also her purpose.
The story is laced with lessons Julie and I experienced first hand — mourning… weakness… questioning… during a particularly tragic and painful season.
We saw His faithful hand move time after time as we trusted and clung to His promise that we would see “the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).
And though we couldn’t see the outcome, we knew He alone could bring “a crown of beauty from the ashes” (Isaiah 61:3)
Her daughter, Abigail K. See is a senior in high school this year and has created the artwork for Ash Island.
What a full circle moment… my heart is in awe… The baby I held has grown up into a beautiful and artistic young woman using her gifts for His glory.
Then, I asked my friend Abigail Wallace, author of Meek Not Weak, if she would consider writing devotional questions for each chapter. After reading 3-4 chapters, she said, “Yes!”
And my heart traces His hand in this trinity collaboration with two Abigails. Their name means “joy of my father, my Father is exulted.”
And this is our prayer:
May He be glorified through the work of our hands, minds, and hearts for others’ good and our joy.
May His children be encouraged in the reading and in the asking of questions, may hearts discover His goodness and faithfulness in the wilderness valley and cling to the solid anchor of our hope, Jesus Christ.
