In her last post, Lori wrote about seeing God at work in our lives.

Sometimes it is easier than others. When my friend’s stage 4 cancer disappeared, we sang praises to God. My cousin just had a healthy, wonderful baby girl.  Thank you, Lord!

But there are other times that seeing God isn’t so easy.  My local community is again in turmoil.  After the City Planner and Police Chief resigned in the city of Ferguson, people again took to the streets in protest.  The night before I wrote this, two police officers were shot.

These officers weren’t arresting a robbery suspect.  They weren’t answering a domestic call.  They were standing in front of the police station to discourage whatever nonsense people might decide to get up to.  One of them was shot in the face.  The other in the shoulder.

At times like these, it is very hard to see God.

Just before the turmoil started up again, I got a message from my editor.  Would I be interested in writing about a headline topic?

Of course.

They need a book called “Black Lives Matter.”

Normally, when I work for this publisher, they give me a list.  “We need books on these ten topics. What are your top three choices?”  Not this time, this time they gave me a specific topic.  Not ebola.  Not GMO.  Not ISIS.  Black Lives Matter.

I e-mailed my editor.  “Do you know where I live?”

“No. Why?”

The truth of the matter is that I’ve been struggling to truly hear what everyone has to say. There is so much hate and so much anger that it is hard to listen.  I’d much rather pull into my shell.  I know that things won’t change unless we listen, but still. . .

I could have been assigned a book on any one of ten different topics.  I got “Black Lives Matter.”  Even when it makes me squirm, I will have to listen to both sides.  Even when I want to tell them both to hush and go away, I will have to listen.  But when I do, I will have the opportunity to put together a book to teach young readers.

Who but God could pull this off?

–SueBE