I huffed a sigh and stood up in response to the timer on my wrist. Time to take another dose of medication. It happens five times every day, and always (it seems) when I’m occupied with something.
“Take the meds,” I grouched under my breath. “That’s ALL I do now.”
But God heard me, and his response was swift:
“Actually, no—you’re also doing a lot of complaining.”
Okay, message received.
The medication isn’t the real problem. It’s a benefit in many ways.
The real problem is my attitude, impatience, unwillingness to be interrupted, pride, and general grumpiness.
Sometimes we need help to identify the REAL enemy when we feel as if we’re under attack.
.@PatriciaRaybon has created another sharp, heroic, and believably flawed character in her latest novel, The Sedalia Code. @TyndaleHouse
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Patricia Raybon has created another sharp, heroic, and believably flawed character in her latest novel, The Sedalia Code. Frustrated by the limitations she encounters in the Jim Crow-era South, Laurette Lowe works hard and finds success on her own terms as a teacher in a posh private school for Black students.
Laurette reminded me of my own half-blind self when I was her age. Coming from poverty into academia is unsettling, and it hooks every natural instinct of self-preservation and image management. Determined to live down her “dirtpoor childhood,” she was determined that nothing would “stop, delay, or deflect her climb up the ladder.”
Romance and intrigue show up in the plot at the same time in the person of Nev Pierce, a handsome young soldier. What begins as a cipher to be solved mathematically swiftly reveals an international plot against the president’s life and uncovers a ring of NAZI racists who will stop at nothing to advance their wicked agenda.
Raybon’s research of World War II-era details, particularly of life on the home front, makes this story both engaging and informative. Laurette’s internal struggles perfectly mirror the times, but are also, in a way, timeless. We all have areas of delayed obedience when it comes to the hard work of forgiveness. And we’re all a little unsure about our place in the world.
Surrounded by friends and colleagues who see her value apart from what she has accomplished, Laurette receives the counsel of Chaplain Dunlap with grace and humility:
“I’ve done my share of shining so folks see ‘important’ me. But elevate God when you shine. Then folks see God, who made your bright thing happen, the one who fights our battles, who conquers all our foes.”
When we turn our attention toward the real enemy, when we direct our life’s fight toward the thing that’s REALLY holding us back, we discover a God who sees our light shining—even in impossible circumstances—and who sings over us with joy.
When we direct our life’s fight toward the thing that’s REALLY holding us back, we discover a God who sees our light shining—even in impossible circumstances—and who sings over us with joy.
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Holding You in the Light,
A Bible App Devotional Plan for the Season of Gratitude
For those of us in the United States, Thanksgiving falls in November. However, gratitude is not circumscribed by geographic boundaries. Nor do we need a calendar’s permission to leave room for gratitude, so whether you think of this series of devotionals as heart preparation for the coming season or simply want to retune your heart to the key of thanks, this is your invitation to pay attention to the steady stream of blessing that comes to us through God’s love. May we enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise, no matter what the season of the year.
Have You Read the Latest Newsletter?
On the third Wednesday of every month, I send a newsletter with biblical encouragement straight to my subscribers’ email inboxes. Frequently, I share free resources, and the newsletter is where all the news lands first.
CLICK HERE to find me on Substack, where my goal is to help you on the path of becoming a confident follower of God and a student of His Word.
Disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate, which means that whenever you purchase a book I’ve shared here through the link I provide, I’ll receive a very small commission. It doesn’t cost you more, and I only share books here that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
