Story Behind the Story

Gloria Gaither's book, "Something Beautiful", is a wonderful book that tells the story behind some of the 700+ songs she and her husband have written. Tears flow freely down my face at almost every chapter. Isn't it amazing that when we see these"perfect" people singing the beautiful songs that they have written, somehow we don't realize that they have lived out the message in the words in one way or another? Some of the back stories were of friends and family experiences and some their own personal experiences. All of them resonate in my heart.

I have been asked if "Nan's Journey" is the story of me. No, but I have felt some of the things that each character has felt. I was never beaten like Nan was but I felt the pain of verbal abuse. The unseen scars run deep and take as much forgiveness as getting over physical scars. I have to concentrate on the fact that I am a very blessed woman. I will not...I will try not to get back to the pit of self-pity and self loathing.

Hopefully, the story of Nan, Elmer, and Fred will strike a chord in your heart. A lot of contemporary issues are addressed in "Nan's Journey" even though the setting isColorado in the 1800s. People are the same now as they were then. Maybe our knowledge is more widespread about these issues, but everyone's pain is so very personal. Am I right?

Personal pain has as many faces as the people who carry it. Loneliness, abuse in all forms, feelings of insecurity and inferiority...fill in the blank. Even Christians carry the burden of these things. We don't have to, but it is familiar to us and it is sometimes hard for us to hand over to God. We are afraid that if we let God take it away from us that there won't be anything left of us. Our identity is tightly wound into it.

I know about this. I was afraid to see what was left when I finally gave it all to Jesus. I now have freedom in my spirit that I never have had before. I can love freely and not hold back because of distrust and self-preservation. God has poured into me healing oil and the memories of the past don't cripple me as they did in the past. It is truly a miracle. It doesn't make scientific sense, but it happened to me. My wish for you is that if you have experienced pain in your life, you will also find peace and joy in the healing touch of Jesus Christ.