Divine Tenderness

Last Friday, I got the first real feedback on my manuscript, from the editors. In an instant, I remembered the stories of writers who had gone before me, who told me it would be like this. (Sure, some had it better... one friend had no revisions to speak of... and some had it worse... I think of Anne Lamott's discussion of the novel that almost wasn't.)

Anyway, I felt like going to sleep for a really long time.

I closed my eyes, so to speak, and was suddenly reminded of how I'd encouraged a small group that same morning, "He who began a good work in you will [bring it] to completion." (Philippians 1:6) Oh, I had not expected that to be my message. But here I was needing encouragement and these words were written all over my brain...

Just a small divine tenderness... but, there it was... a love letter sealed in the morning... to greet me at eventide.