InSight
Trooper Bryan Taylor initiates a routine traffic stop and embarks on a not so routine encounter with fate.
In relieving a citizen of a mysterious silver box with “God’s Eyes” engraved on the top, he finds that life is not as it seems when viewed through the lenses of the antique eyeglasses tucked within, giving insight into the most protected secrets of those in sight.
Insight into InSight
In November of 2014, I drove from Washington, DC to Nashville, TN. Most of my miles were spent in peaceful silence. The solitude of the twelve-hour road trip afforded me beautiful conversations with God. I had defined four things (in no particular order) in my life that I deemed the most important of my heart’s desires. I began statements of affirmation for each one. My statements were as follows: “My God shall provide for me (heart’s desire) in abundance.” One of those affirmations was, “My God shall provide for me the words and stories He’d like me to write, and the words will flow through me in abundance.”
After about seven times of verbally, and emotionally, sharing my heart’s desires one-on-one with my Lord, I wiped my tears and turned on the radio. With no preset stations operational on a road trip, I was blessed to find a K-LOVE Radio station signal right away. Brandon Heath’s “Give Me Your Eyes” began to play. I had heard it many times. Only this time, the lyrics resounded differently to me. As often as I had sung the words of this song in the past, I actually heard them; envisioned them. My first thought was, “Wow, that concept would make a great TV series.” It was then, that a story, from start to finish, came into my mind. I was excited. I thought, “I’m going to tell Dr. Chance McLin about it, so he can write this story when he’s finished with the book series he’s writing now.” Then, I heard a voice say to my mind, “No, Judi, you’re to write this. I gave this to you.”
I may not have heard this story if not for the listener-supported K-LOVE Radio stations. As a result of their contribution, 10% of the proceeds from InSight will go to Positive, Encouraging, and now Inspiring, K-LOVE Radio.
Click here to learn more about K-Love Radio
On September 16, 2018, I was blessed with the honor of gifting a copy of InSight to Brandon Heath.
It Is Well With My Soul
Introduction
There are many things that I am not. Although I enjoy music, I am not a dancer. Although I enjoy singing, I am not a singer. And although I have always liked to write, I am by no means a writer. In 2010, I began writing things as they would come to me. I placed them in a folder on my computer which I referred to as “Judi’s Random Writings.” It was not uncommon for these things to come to me word-for-word repeatedly for days on end, until I finally wrote them down. Until I wrote it, I couldn’t receive peace from it. I didn’t know why at the time.
These writings have always been, at their base, something that had been going on in my life. Within a week after I had written something down, I would come in contact with a person who, in conversation, would be hearing come out of me almost exactly what I had written only a short time before. Sometimes, I would print or email a copy of my writing to the person I had been talking to concerning the subject. I quickly realized that, although I felt a relief from my personal situation by writing, it was never fully meant for me, but for the person I was to come in contact with.
Another thing that I am not is perfect. I was saved and baptized at a young age. I left my spiritual upbringing behind at the age of 18. I had married (more than once), raised my sons, and had relationships; none in accordance with God’s will. By my not following the will of God, I suffered much heartache along the way.
In 2009, I knew that I no longer felt comfortable in my life and sought a closer relationship with God. By the spring of 2010, I had closed my skin care center and hair salon business, due to the degeneration of my hands and elbows. I found myself moving to Tennessee, a place where I knew no one. I met wonderful Christian friends in the first church I attended, and in 2011 began attending Cumberland Worship Center in Crossville, TN.
In the spring of 2013, my life had taken a terrific personal blow. I began to pray fervently asking God to change me and committing myself to whatever He saw fit. I am grateful that He had answered my prayers and comforted me with His Word all throughout the time it took Him to recreate me. That experience crushed me into a fine powder of dust; the only way that God could reform me into the usable vessel He wanted me to be. I knew that I was not going through this personal metamorphosis without reason, but I didn’t know what it was that God was molding me into.
During that time, the pastor of Cumberland Worship Center, Dr. Mark Dufrene, brought a message to the congregation concerning the believer’s commitment to, and acting on, what God wants for us to do in service to Him. Believers committing to stepping out in faith regarding what God wants for them to do were asked to step forward for prayer. Even those unsure as to what God’s task for them might be, were encouraged to come forward for prayer. I did. I also began praying that God reveal to me what it was He wanted me to do for Him.
During training for my new job, God set into motion circumstances forcing me to go to a local Starbucks in order to access the internet. It was there that I met an author, Dr. Chance McLin. Our first conversation was brief. Out of politeness, I sent him a Facebook friend request. I thought that I would be able to see what it was he wrote when I had more time. By the time I returned to the condo that my employer houses trainees in, and got ready for bed, I checked my Facebook and discovered a message from the author. He said, “I knew you were a believer.” I don’t know what I could have said to reveal my spirituality to this man, but I was grateful that it showed to others. Dr. McLin had read some of my Facebook postings and encouraged me to write. It was through my conversations with him, that God revealed to me that writing a book was what God wanted me to do as my part in telling others about Him. I was committed.
This has been a journey of stepping out in faith; taking steps big and small that were, at times, far outside my comfort zone. God has provided validation all along the way in order to prompt me and encourage me to continue forward; reinforcing constantly that I was on the correct path. Each time I took a step in fulfilling God’s vision for my life, the happier I have become. I have been comforted and soothed while being cradled in the arms of my savior.
The title of this book is based on an old Hymn by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873 following the death of his family. To suffer such horrific tragedy and yet be able to find peace through God, all the way to the depths of one’s soul, enough to write a song, far outweighed whatever I must go through in order to write a book. I could think of no other title more fitting.
You may notice that I am not using a last name. I always sign “Judi” with a heart dotting my “i” as you see here. This book is not about me. I have not one time referred to it as “my book” because it is God’s book. I am only the vessel He has chosen to use in order to share these words. Each piece here is not written for everyone at all times, but you will find something for you; something that God wants you to hear. As life situations surface, there may be another section of this book which may apply to you. My hope is that you remember to pick it up again and find the section you will need to focus on for those words of encouragement and peace.
By allowing God to change me into a usable vessel, committing my life situations to Him, and seeing myself as always being a “work in progress,” I have found that truly it is well with my soul.