She stood in line with the other women attending the conference where I was signing copies of my book.
I knew there was something special about her when she arrived.
Since I cannot see, my husband signaled me with a pat on my back as he read her name tag to me.
But, before I could figure out what his signal meant, the woman standing in front of me introduced Julie.
Well, it depends on how you define the word stupid!
“God, please make this water wet.”
When both of my boys were growing up, they loved superheroes. I mean, what little boy isn’t fascinated with Batman and Superman who always arrive without a minute to spare and save the day? We’d sit on the living room floor with the miniature figurines and make up missions and rescues and cheer when the whole city was saved.
We would take Superman and have him fly toward the “burning” Lego skyscraper and swoop in just in time to save the family. All the while his cape was flying in the wind like a true hero.
I didn’t realize it then – in fact, it took years for me to realize it – but Superman wasn’t the only one who wore a cape. I wore a superhero cape too—my superhero cape was my faith.
God is just not fair. Have you ever felt like that?
I sure have. I’ve lived that sentence over and over again. In fact, I even wrote a new book titled God is Just Not Fair (Zondervan). Within the pages of the book bears my raw, honest heart.
Here’s why I wrote God is Just Not Fair:
I was so tired of being blind. I wanted to quit more than I wanted to keep trying.
I desperately needed to know God was enough when my life was a mess.
I questioned everything I had ever believed about God.
I needed real hope because I had real pain and real questions.
I wrote this book because I am not the only one who has felt those feelings.
I unloaded my frustrations to my friend Karen while talking on the phone the other day. Sometimes blindness makes me so tired that it just scrapes against the bottom of my soul, and it was one of those days.
I bet you know what I’m talking about; we’ve all had “one of those days.” You know, when you’re so overwhelmed that you can’t even put your jumbled feelings into words?
Dear Jennifer,
I have been reading your book, Lessons I Learned in the Dark, and you say that one should rejoice in their suffering. All I seem to do is get frustrated and depressed. I have the same trials day in and day out–people making fun of me or dismissing me because they see I have a disability.
I feel that I always have to prove myself to everybody, even though I have become a success. As you say in your book, I have become very independent, but I feel isolated. I feel that socially; I have not experienced what others have experienced at my age. I try to pray, but feel I make little progress. Your book makes it seem this whole thing has been a pretty smooth ride for you, with a few bumps in the road, in which you are able to conquer most everything.
Thank you, Wendi
Jennifer’s Answer
