A Gift of JOY

Like most of us, writer Mary DeMuth has struggled through hard times. She has a heart for hurting women and recognizes the stresses caused by COVID-19. While struggling through the hurts of a damaged relationship she did what she does best:... putting her thoughts into words.

"Life right now is full of grief, confusion, and angst. In order to process all that, you need to know what the Bible says about difficult times and how to navigate through them."

Mary writes through the labor pains of her hurtful emotions. While we struggle to express these feelings, she finds the right words. The outpouring of these words opens the doors of healing and gives birth to her books. Until we can communicate our pain, we cannot problem-solve... we cannot heal and restore the joy to our lives.

Whether you are struggling with the life changes brought about by the coronavirus, a damaged relationship, or other issues, I recommend this little 25-page ebook. It's available free at:

http://marydemuth.ck.page/e7f47f3755

Doing well now? Copy and save it for another time. Share it with someone who needs to mend and heal a broken spirit.

I have followed Mary since she was writing her first book* as a sexual abuse survivor. As a writer, I understand how difficult it is to re-open the pain allowing the reader to recognize you've truly been in her shoes. No matter how battered her slippers may be, they can become the ruby red shoes that takes her home to the Creator and Lover of her Soul. Mary shows us the way, the how, and Who restores true joy.

* Author of 40 books currently.

A Unique Mother's Day

My family brought Chinese for supper. Because visitors are still restricted at the senior complex where I live, they ate outside by my livingroom window. While I enjoyed their company from inside along with my favorite cashew chicken.
The oldest grandchild was missing. "How long has he been working at Subway," I asked. His mother looked at her watch and answered, "5 hours."
Our time together was shorter than usual, but larger in laughs. Meal over... masks on... we formed a circle with arms outstretched for a group hug. Who says social distancing can't include time together!
Never had a Mother's Day like this one and doubt that it will occur again, but it was SPECIAL.

~ ~ ~ 

My Monday chuckle from my friend in the WV mountains, Joseph J. Mazzella:

 

 It had been raining on and off for days.  The gray, overcast clouds felt more like the gloom of

 Winter than the joy of Spring.  The ground was saturated from the downpours.  The grass in my

 backyard was swampy and large patches of mud had grown in the well trafficked areas where I

 walked my dogs.  But on this morning I suddenly saw a break in the clouds.  The beautiful, rising

 sun was sliding out from behind them and playing a delightful game of peek-a-boo with the

 earth.  I longed to feel its warmth on my face again so I slipped on my shoes and headed outside. 

 

Just as I got there the sun slid behind another cloud.  I frowned when I saw it but noticed that a

few sunbeams were still shining through on the grass down the hill from me.  I started to run

towards them before they disappeared.  That is when it happened.

 

Suddenly, I felt my feet go out from under me as I slipped on a muddy patch.  Down I went

into the brown slop.  My jeans were filthy.  My shirt was stained.  My hands were covered with

the goo. “Ugh!”, I said.  I wiped my hands in the grass and shook my head.  Just at the moment,

however, the sun broke through again.  I lay in the mud and looked up at its light.  I smiled when

I saw it shining on a determined little dandelion growing in the middle of the mud.  Then I

laughed and felt the light coming on within me too.  It was certainly worth another shower and an

extra load of laundry to see this sight.

 

Sometimes we need to slip in the mud in order to see the flowers.  Sometimes we need to be

flat on our backs in order to look up to Heaven.  In this life God gives us both the sunshine and

the rain. It is up to us, though, to bloom through the mud and to shine through the clouds.  May

your love always shine bright and may the flower of your life become a meadow.