God is full of surprises.  You never know when he will challenge you with what’s behind door number one, door number two, and so on.  You know you have to pick one or refuse all of them.  You don’t know what is on the other side.  Trusting in his providence, you can only step through knowing that he has a plan and he will help you follow it.

One of the blessed surprises in my life was to write With God’s Grace…with four other women.  Writing the book began with Sister Janice McGrane as my door number one.  When I first met her, I gave her a sample of my writing.  She wondered if I would be interested in writing with other women.  Walking through the door, I said yes.

Door number two came with a phone call from Barbara Arbuckle asking me to write about what God’s grace meant to me and how I saw grace acting in my life.  I had less than a week to write something down and then meet with her.

I pulled up to Barbara’s house in the green hills of West Chester.  A statue of the Blessed Mother greeted me in the garden.  I knew I was in the right place.

Barbara’s dog, Misha, greeted me.  Barbara led me to the living room with its wide windows looking over the garden and green fields.  I could tell I was in a faith-filled home with images of Jesus and the Blessed Mother placed lovingly like family portraits.

Barbara was so welcoming and so excited to share how God had been guiding her.  To my surprise, Elisa Taylor Berry arrived to join us.  Her voice was alive like a bubbling brook, sure in its direction and joyous in its message.

Barbara was going through that difficult time in life caring for an aged parent.  My husband andI had been through caring for his parents and mine.  I shared my experiences of how God gave me hope when I felt there was none.  I could not hold back the tears of how God provided a penny from heaven, a sign that he was right at my side giving me a strength that only he could give.

Although I had never met Barbara and Elisa, they were drawn into my experience and provided consolation as if they had always been family.  My small penny story which I write about in the book might not seem like a big deal to some but they got it.  They got that the big deal was God loving me personally.

At that meeting, God gave me spiritual friends, women aware of God’s love for them.  I was added as another thread, to be woven, twined around, and part of God’s beautiful design for a journey of grace.  More surprises came along when Annette Hug became part of our graced team.

So know that God holds surprises for you behind every door.  Whether they be trials or blessings, he showers you with abundant grace as you walk on through.