About the Author

A writer of faith by day and mystery by night, Patricia Raybon is an award-winning Colorado author, essayist, and novelist who writes top-rated books and stories at the daring intersection of faith and race. More at patriciaraybon.com

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
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  1. It is so difficult at times not to walk with the focus on the problems. I feel as though I am constantly pressing the reset button to remind myself that God is there. I guess I am a work in progress. And I get it about the gout- it is not something we talk about freely :).

    • I hear you, dear Madeline! We’re all such works in progress. I’m so grateful the Lord doesn’t lose patience with us–even letting us walk humbly with Him. What a joy. Thanks for walking so beautifully here, too. With His love!

  2. Thank you Patricia!
    After a most discouraging day yesterday, this is the perfect message & reminder to me.
    Blessings to you.

    • Oh, dear Deborah. I’m so sorry yesterday was discouraging. That kind of burden can be a heavy one. So, I’m so grateful today’s post offered good encouragement. May Christ our Light shine wonderful hope in your life and spirit on this new day! With His peace and love, Patricia

  3. My husband has a T-shirt he wears to walk our pups. It says “It’s not where you walk, it’s who walks with you”. The Who is Jesus! What a great great comfort!

  4. I really needed to hear this. Thank you for reminding me to focus on God, not the disappointment.

  5. Hello Patricia. I so love to hear you writting incourage as you like all the others at incourage write from you heart. I am so blessed. I learnt so much. I keep you all incourage in my prayers. Yes we can all be disappointed at times. Say why me? Why Lord? I myself have walked through alot of disappointments in my life. I wanted to work as Nursery Teacher in a Nursery years ago. Or kids with special needs. I couldn’t get my NVQ. Anytime I tried it just was not going to be that I get it. I remember being asked have I any qualifications. That you needed it for the Special needs job I could have applied for. The same for a Nursery job. I just had to say no. I did try to get it. But couldn’t no matter how I try. I couldn’t get it. So I knew either of the jobs where not worth applying for. As without the qualifications needed I not get it. So didn’t apply. I work before I got married in a Nursery. On work experience. I loved the job. I also work long before I met my Husband. With kids with special needs on work experience too. I loved it too. But when jobs came up. I looked at the application form for them. I knew in my heart not to fill it in. As the questions on it one was about the qualifications I had. I knew that questions my answer would be No. I knew they in both jobs they would pick someone with the qualifications. That had more experience than me. That would know if something especially in the job with special needs kids and adults. Better what to do than me. They were able to retain the information better than me. So they know exactly what to do if something cropped up. I could do the job no problem when some explained to me what I needed to do in both jobs. But this were I knew if I was left with kid with special needs. They took a seizure or started screaming with anger. Because the world is different to them. Than people who have not got special needs. I would have to be quick and respond with what I learnt. If I got what I was to do help that Child who was talking a seizure or to stop that child screaming out of anger wrong I be in big trouble. See my problem is I find it hard to remember what to do. But if someone told what to do I was good at remembering what to do then. I do what they told me right. But on my wone it was difficult. So they could not give me either job if one came up. I was diagnosed with a learning disability. So I never applied for the jobs. Any of them that I loved. As they ask me questions. Like what would you do if the child took a seizure you were on your own. To do with a child with special needs. Or if the baby was choking in the Nursery you were on your own. I know my mind would go blank. So that would be no good to Child with special needs or the baby choking. So I went on to become a Registered Childminder for 19 years in my own home. As they had way of teaching me to remember first aid and other things that you needed to be a Registered Childminder. I loved that job so much. But ill health took me out of it. But praise God I am ok now. This is key to for me too walking through disappointment that I could not get any of the other jobs. My Husband said to me. God has you were he wants you. If God had wanted you to do any of the other two jobs. God would have made it possible. You would have remembered all things you were supposed to. Without someone telling you what to do. God had you be a Registered Childminder for 19 years. My Husband looked at me this helped me. So much what he said God had you Dawn were he wanted you. Being a Registered Childminder for 19 years. It was a job you loved. So that was my key to walking through disappointments. That I couldn’t apply for any of the other jobs that I would have loved. God had me were he wanted me to be. Being a Registered Childminder for 19 years. God don’t make mistakes. God knows what best for us. You Patricia with your sore ankle. God made you rest in him. Even though it was probably a disappointment that you had let nature take it’s course. Time to heal it. Not when you wanted it too. In my disappointments. I learnt God had me were he wanted me to be. God don’t make mistakes. I learnt so much from my Husband saying what he said too. As my Husband was so right. Keeping you in prayer still. Plus for your family too. God has given me Galatians 6 verse 9 for you. It means not to grow weary praying for your family. As you will reap the benefits in due season. God’s perfect timing for your family. See them wone for his Kingdom. So don’t loose heart. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx

  6. Patricia,

    Jesus said we would have trials down here. It is those very trials that He uses to get our attention off ourselves & back on Him. I’ve been going through a rough patch at work lately. Upset at the turn of events-(closed my unit at hospital). The other night I was lying in bed crying upset. I audibly heard God say “For I know the plans I have for you”. I know I said & calmed down. Now I’m waiting for God to work on my behalf & counting my blessings.

    Blessings 🙂

  7. Thank you for reminding me of the way to face and endure trials. First, you sought comfort in the Word and heard “Remember Me.” Then you made a mental list, remembering the times that the Lord had turned seeming defeats into merciful victories. I too have such a list but often forget to review it when I am mired in the pain or anxiety of the circumstance. Reading your essay inspires me to engage in the discipline of walking in faith when the lights go out.

  8. This was exactly what I needed this morning. Seven weeks after total hip replacement surgery, I’ve been experiencing new pain and along with it discouragement. Remembering that God has been with me through the whole process helps me to trust that He is still with me now. Thank you!