Transitions


Rejoice always,
Pray without ceasing
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I have just returned from Florida and helping my sister-in-law with preparations for my brother’s funeral. It has been a long journey for the family as his dementia slowly worsened. She is having to cope with the transition from full-time caregiver to widow.
So many arrangements, so many adjustments not only for her but for our family.
Yet in all this, I know that rejoicing is possible otherwise God would not have commanded it.


I give thanks that Lee is with his Savior and no longer struggling to understand the world about him that had become so confusing.
One of his favorite pastimes was sitting at the Scrabble board and arranging the blocks in the names of state capitols.
Below is his last message, arranged on the Scrabble board he loved:

Through all this my faith has been strengthened by my family and my church family.

In my prayer and quiet time I have felt God encouraging me to continue writing and to pursue my memoir after this historical novel is complete.

Have you faced life changing circumstances lately? Please share in comments below. I’d love to her from you.

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Emphasis added)

I return to this verse as preparation continues for 2 missions:

Dominican Republic: January 16-24, 2026. Our team of 19 will join our partner team from Indiana for medical and construction outreach in the San Juan de la Maguana region which is in the western portion of the Dominican.

Viet Nam/Cambodia: June 9-22, 2026 partnering with ALWM to help at medical outreach clinics and teaching English.

While preparations proceed, I am struggling to carve out time for writing. I am certain that God has a plan for the novel I’m in the midst of editing. I must slow down and listen to that still, small voice.

While traveling overseas to help the lost and the poor is almost certainly God’s work, I must not let it crowd out my certain calling to write stories that will show many the reality of a God that loves them and desires a relationship with them. Through this venue I may reach many more than traveling on a mission team.

No matter which ventures God is calling me to I still say, “Here am I! Send me.” whether I’m sent overseas or to my desk, or maybe to both, I am willing.

All that He is

Psalm 40:1-3a:

I waited patiently for the LORD;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay.

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth-

Praise to our God;

As I sit down to write this morning, I pray that I may honor Him for all that He is and all that He has done for me.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my      heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

As I prepare to attend the Write To Publish conference I am battling a nasty cold. I have overwhelming fatigue, a sore throat and I’ve lost my voice! Not good preparation for an intense 4 day conference.

But I intend to learn as much as I can to improve my skill as a writer, whether I can talk or not.

As always, I must depend on God for the strength, energy and concentration to get me through.

Please pray for the faculty, the other conference attendees and me as we head into a week of worship and learning.

Are you struggling with anything right now, physical, emotional or spiritual? Please drop a comment below and let me know.

Here Am I! Send Me

Isaiah 6:8
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

I’ve been physically active all my life and interested in many things, too many according to my husband:
-Emergency Medicine
-Overseas Missions
-Music- piano, guitar, electric bass and alto flute. I’ve also dabbled with violin
-Honor Guard
-Running
-Hiking particularly in the Appalachian’s and Yosemite.
-Biking

Writing has always been a big part of my dreams. But I only dabbled in it because I had to make a living.

I’ve felt that the way God wants me to serve has been missions, mostly overseas. I feel so energized when helping people, the underserved, sick, or injured people particularly.

Several physical problems and injuries have brought me to my knees as serving overseas may not be an option anymore. I’ve been working on releasing the control I think I have over my life and started listening when I ask God, “What do You want me to do?”

I’ve always loved storytelling and writing, making things up. God has brought me to a place where I don’t have to work, have a wonderful husband and good home in the country. I can reach many people through medicine but what is becoming clear to me that I may reach many more people by sharing stories that lead to a desire to know God more, that He is real and offers the only real hope in this dark, hopeless world. Jesus is the only One that makes real changes in our lives.

The changes God has brought about in my life are not what I thought I wanted. But He is showing me that giving up my white-knuckled control is leading to a life-giving freedom. He is showing me that I don’t have to do mission work to serve Him, that I can enjoy this time in my life by indulging in music and writing.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more content in my life than to serve the LORD my God with all my heart and with all my soul.

How about you? Have you come to a place where serving God with all your heart and soul has changed?

What does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 10:12 (NKJV)

Falling Apart

My imagined conversation with God:

Me: Hey God.

God: Hello…

Me: I’m falling apart. Can You put me back together?

God: I would rather not.

Me: Why?

God: Because you aren’t a puzzle.

Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground?

God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell off for a reason. Take some time and decide if you need any of those pieces back.

Me: You don’t understand! I’m breaking down!

God: No- you don’t understand. You are breaking through. You are shedding things in your life that are holding you back. You aren’t falling apart. You are falling into place. Allow those things that aren’t in My will to fall off. Quit holding onto the pieces that don’t fit you. Let them fall off.

Me: Once I start doing that, what will be left of me?

God: Only the very best pieces of you.

Me: I’m scared of changing.

God: You aren’t changing. You are becoming!

Me: Becoming who?

God: Becoming who I created you to be. A person of light and love and charity and hope and courage and joy and mercy and grace and compassion. I made you for more than the shallow pieces you have adorned yourself with. Let those things fall off. I love you. Don’t change… become who I made you to be.

Me: There goes another piece.

God: Yep. Let it be.

Me: So… I’m not broken?

God Of course not, you are breaking like the dawn. It’s a new day.

Edited, original author unknown

Words are Hard

I had the opportunity to visit Scotland several years ago and was captivated by the warmth of the Scots I met. I also fell in love with the beauty of the land.

While there I visited the Isle of Skye, Culloden battlefield and many castles. And a character with a fascinating story planted herself in my head and won’t leave me alone till I finish writing about her adventures. So I am in the process of editing, re-editing and editing again The Voyage of the St Andrew.

But, words are hard. It’s difficult to put onto paper the color, smell, taste, pictures and sense of the beautiful land. My feisty heroine seems to get into trouble even when trying not to.

Please join me as I try to keep up with my heroine and her adventures.

Roxanne

New Things

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3

God has indeed shown me new things. I’ve had the privilege of serving in many places on medical missions. And He has given me the time and space to pursue my lifelong dream of writing.

I began writing when I was seven and have continued to pen various short stories and flash fiction pieces. But He has give me the opportunity to pursue this work seriously. While I’ve published several short stories and some flash fiction I am working now to finish my historical novel, “The Voyage of the St Andrew” set in the 1680’s Scotland.

In a little over a month I will attend the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference. As I prepare, I am reminded of how much I depend on God in this adventure. Writing a novel is hard, as hard as surviving medical school and residency training.

Please join me on this adventure.