Gail B. Hyatt

Sunday night. I think it’s my favorite night of the week. Last night Michael and I were sitting in the library. He was working away on his forthcoming book, Platform. He was in the zone. I was catching up on email, blog posts, Facebook, etc. No real agenda. Just reflecting on the past week and planning for the one in front of me.

I love Sunday nights. It’s like a reboot. “Old things are passed away. Behold all things become new.” A brand new week awaits. A week to laugh, to cry, to grow and learn. A week to live.

The past week had been one full of challenges. Read more…

A few weeks ago, I traveled with seven women from my church to Safford, Arizona, 165 miles southeast of Phoenix. There we visited St. Paisius Serbian Orthodox Monastery (a women’s monastery).

I had never been to a monastery, and was so nervous about going. Read more…

Two people are facing a difficult day today. A day that has been a long time coming. Now it is here.

I sent this email to them in the hopes that it could be an encouragement. I thought I would post it here. Perhaps you need some encouragement and some assurance that He is a good God and loves you, and that “His will governs all.”

Good morning,

Praying for a real sense of God’s abiding presence in you today—filling you, and leading you each step of the way.

May you go forth with humility, courage and boldness, and with the assurance that “His will governs all.” Read more…

Last week I went outside and hopped in my car ready to meet my friend, Rachel, for breakfast. I hooked my seatbelt, stuck the key in the ignition and after a few whines and sputters … nothing. Nothing. It soon became obvious that I needed a jump start. I had left my visor down overnight and the tiny little light beside the mirror had completely drained the battery. Shoot!!

My neighbor just happened to be leaving his house at the same time and was happy to come over and assist me. Once my battery was connected to his, the turn of the key produced an engine purring like a kitten. Off I went.

Somedays I need a jump start. Read more…

I woke up this morning to a text left to me by my sister-in-law, Patty Bruce, Phil’s devoted wife of about 44 years. It said:

“We wanted to share with you – Phil went to be with the Lord tonight at 10:40. We are missing him, but rejoicing in his being in the most excellent place. Love , pctkjb&d”

I have 4 older brothers, Phil is the oldest. I’m his baby sister. He’s been battling a mysterious neurological disease for the last five years and last night, his battle was over. I will miss him tremendously. His daughter, Karen began keeping a journal during his last weeks. After I read her entry from this morning, I knew I wanted to post it here. It is just beautiful. I pray that it will be an enouragement to you. (Please make sure you read the last *)

From Phil’s Journey, September 12, 2010, by Karen Rice:

i thought i would be able to sleep tonight without coming here to wrap up my day. but, apparently this has become an elemental part of my daily routine. apparently i will need some time to pass before i can share with you details that are close to my heart, but it seems best to state a few things simply to you, my dear family and friends. Read more…

I got a phone call last week from a friend who wanted to talk. Not meet for a visit, but talk. There was a tone of seriousness in her voice.

I hadn’t seen her for a long time. Why would she be calling me now, out of the clear blue? She didn’t want to talk over the phone, she wanted to meet me face to face. She didn’t tell me what she wanted and I was afraid to ask. Read more…

What drives you to do what you do? Where do your passions come from? What situations have you endured that have become a part of “your story” and have been redeemed to help others? We all have them. As Richard Rohr has said, “Nothing is wasted.” That is certainly true of Tsi, a fourteen-year-old girl we met on our third day in Ethiopia. World Vision wanted us to meet her because she has an inspirational story of survival and rescue, and also because they wanted us to see, first hand, what World Vision is doing to save lives.

Tsi, a beautiful teenager, (not unlike one of my own five daughters) is being raised by her mother and grandmother. Read more…

As you may know, Mike and I just got back from a trip to Ethiopia with World Vision. My brain, and my heart, are still in a bit of shock, but I’m sorting through our experiences so I can share a couple of them with you. But, before that, I thought it’d be helpful to let you into the heart and soul of World Vision.

I’m embarassed to say that Mike and I knew very little about World Vision before we left. We thought we knew who they were—we have seen their ads, heard their appeals and have sponsored children with them—but when we were with them, up close and personal, we realized that we knew virtually nothing about them. Read more…

My friend, Shelia Mullican, gave me a birthday gift on Sunday. She gave me a copy of Walking On Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, by Madeleine L’Engle. I had never heard of it. Of course I have heard of Madeleine L’Engle. She’s right up there with C.S. Lewis. But, I must confess, I have never read A Wrinkle In Time. I tried, back in the sixth or seventh grade, but could never get into it. Everyone in my family loved it. They will tell you it’s still one of their all-time favorites.

For some reason I have always had a difficult time reading fantasy. Sometimes I wonder if I’m not handicapped when it comes to imagination. I’m more of a concrete person. On the Myers-Briggs profile I’m a strong S—Sensing. Creative and imaginative I’m not so much. I tend to look at life literally. But there is something in me that knows I would love Madelenine L’Engle’s books if I would just let go and let her take me where I could never go by myself. Unlike most of you Walking on Water  Read more…

A couple of days ago I posted a very famous prayer by Saint Patrick. If you had never read the complete prayer perhaps you recognized a portion of it.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise.

This man knew what it was to abide in Christ. Below is a little bit about the life of Saint Patrick. His devotion to the Holy Trinity, his sacrificial love for people, and his battle against the blatant paganism of his day not only changed the British Isles, but changed the world forever. It’s no wonder that 1500 years after his death, his life and his words still resonate in our hearts. May we be forever inspired and changed by his example as well.

The Life of Saint Patrick: The Enlightner of Ireland
Commemorated on March 17

Saint Patrick, the Enlightener of Ireland was born around 385, the son of Calpurnius, a Roman decurion (an official responsible for collecting taxes). Read more…