Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Dear God,

As we sat at our favorite Mexican restaurant and the women drank their margaritas at Book Club, I reminded them that we must reach for the whole story and not just the part where we are stuck.  We had just discussed how the historical account of our latest book is so much like what we are experiencing in America today.  There was a visceral feeling of being in a black hole.

Years ago during another dark time in my life, I had a vision of being stuck in a very deep well.  It was dark, scary and tight.  I felt as if I would be there the rest of my life with no help, no light and no chance of recovery.  But at that very realization, I felt the tiniest of movement when all of a sudden there was a sliver of light coming from the deeper part of the space.  I began to move and the light grew wider and higher.

That vision reminds me today that there is always more to the story.  That light was always there; I just couldn't see it at the moment.  In today's chaotic, conflictual, divided world, there is more than blackness.  There is light shining across every nation.  People of every background and status are gathering together to resist and proclaim light and hope and compassion.  People are giving to food banks and taking risks to help their neighbors.  People are doing things beyond what they thought they could do to help, to love and to change things.  This is the best part of the story and we can't forget it!

Open our eyes

to the 

best part

of the story,

dear God,

help us

see what

is before

our eyes.

Help us widen

and deepen

the story

by shining light

and helping.

Help us connect

to your story

of love

and power

and courage

and strength

and mercy.

Love, Andrea