One of the things Amy Carmichael has taught me to do is to pay more attention to things like what verse follows a verse, or to the little words in scripture, like “but”. Here’s an example of a verse following upon a verse:
In the Bible we have ‘the heart of God in the words of God’, as someone said hundreds of years ago; and now here is something for you from the heart of God in the words of God:
In His right hand were seven stars. Rev. 1.16
But He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Fear not.” Rev. 1.17Did you ever fear a little as you thought of difficulties ahead? Did you ever think, ‘The Lord Jesus has so many to take care of, how will He have time to think of me”? We have the answer to such thoughts here. It is the Hand that holds the seven stars (the seven churches, all the worlds and the Heaven of heavens), it is that Hand that is laid upon each one of us, and to each one the word is the same, ‘Fear not’.”
This does not mean that there will not be difficulties and hard fights, and (if we are real soldiers) battle-wounds. Look at the next ‘Fear not’. ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer’ (Rev. 2.10). In the day when those words were written, the things that true Christians were about to suffer were terrific. But even though we have not to go through torture of the body, we shall all have to endure something which is really suffering, and which God knows is suffering; and so we have the glorious word at the outset, ‘Fear none of these things . . .; be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.’
Witnesses to Hope 
What strengthening words at this juncture in time – truth on which to hold and so continue in the race that has been set before us both individually and corporately, joy in the journey, to quote Michael Card.
Although the contemplative life looks very appealing to me right now it is clearly not God’s plan for me. I think it is in the details that I find God’s love for me most profound.
I thought when the children became adults I would finally have some time to myself. What was I thinking?
I will share my most recent detail. David has been visiting us in August for maybe 20 years. He is a single man who is a special ed teacher in California. We met him when he was a Jesuit volunteer many years ago. We were all house parents at Misericordia. Every year David comes to Chicago, stays with us a few days and then takes a van full of men from Misericordia to visit the original house parents who live in Cincinnati. He returns and then spends another several days visiting friends.
This year I have been concerned because we had some missionaries ask to stay with us the days David would be in Cincinnati but I thought they would overlap. Then my daughter and her family said, “Mom, we were going to stay with you that weekend?”
I only have so many beds, so I ask God, as usual, to work it out for me. He most certainly did just that. David is leaving the day the missionaries come and returning the day they leave. The daughters who live at home are going to help out at a teen retreat so the granddaughter can come with her parents.
A long story for a simple detail but I know deep in my heart that I fret and worry for nothing. The desire of my heart is to always be where God wants me to be. The Holy Spirit wastes no time prompting me if I am to do something else. Trust Him in all things, for every detail.
Kathleen
I love your story, Kathleen. It’s such a great example of how God is concerned about every little detail of our lives as we aspire to serve Him, He who knows when the sparrow falls to the ground. What a blessing that you are able to indeed see His hand in the details of your life. That’s actually a very contemplative approach to life . . .