Carmen was ticked off, and she earned it. Illness, delinquent child, drunken husband, and unemployment, you name it, if it’s bad, it happens to Carmen.

She wasn’t coping well. One of Carmen’s methods to address her misfortune was to talk to God. Her conversations went something like this, “Please God, cure my cancer and I’ll believe in you.” Conditional belief. Ask and receive; God is good. No response; proof positive— there is no God.

Everything changed at a funeral mass. The priest delivered a message that got through to her. With the death of her good friend, came the birth of a new awareness. She finally understood, faith in God needs to be strongest in times of trouble.

God doesn’t need to be bargained with, debated, or even questioned. Carmen learned to love God unconditionally, and to believe in the goodness of God, unconditionally.

Life is never on our terms. There is a much grander plan for us than we can see while here on Earth. Believe, and you will know the wisdom of God’s work. Believe, and you will see the miracle of God’s creation.

from Susan's collection of blogs

Susan Diamond is founder of Prayables.com and publisher of .

Paso Doble

Each day is a blessing
of epic proportions.
I give thanks for
what might seem meager comforts:
real cream in my coffee,
a day without a bill in the mail,
Paso Doble, the Spanish two-step.
Sometimes life is a dance
a woman has to do backwards
pushing against the wind
and obstacles in the way.
Thank You for being the partner
who always leads.

"HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BARGAINING WITH GOD?"