Just a year and a half after the loss of my only grandparent, I had to face the reality of losing my dearest mother. Dorothy Kenney Busse was a strong woman who lived through the Depression, almost died during high school from a bout with scarlet fever, but survived and pursued a career as a registered nurse, fulfilling a promise she made to God for healing her. In the spring of 1988 as she began to decline in her health, it was then that the rubber band broke, and she lost her will to live. As the months unfolded, I decided to write a journal of our time together. The last year of her life, my mother was dying, and there was a combination of hoping for a cure and coming to terms with her eventual death. Through her dying, I turned to my faith as a way to cope with the emotional roller coaster of life and death. Although my children were very young, I was lucky to be a stay-at-home mom and lucky to have good friends and family who helped me in my hours of need. Throughout her final days, we explored many options of faith healing and prayer. Although she eventually succumbed to her illness, her journey helped me to strengthen my faith and to be there for her in her last moments of life, encouraging her to let go and embrace eternal life.

Have you ever craved for a deep personal relationship with God? Do you question your faith in the Divine Spirit to work in your daily life? This true story begins with a couple who had the same dream on the same night. Brenda and Franklin CampbellJones take you on a remarkable modern day journey of faith in their quest for a deeper relationship with God. They share how their spirit was strengthened by following Gods guidance as they traveled across the country. Through dreams, signs, messages, and coincidences, they come to terms with the forces of doubt, anxiety, and confusion. They learn to lean on the Divine Presence of the Holy Spirit.

Rocky grows up in his father's shadow, wanting to be like his old man one day, but not knowing the true story behind his father's associations. When Rocky discovers cash and drugs in his father's Cadillac, he begins to question whether his father only delivers Stroh's beer by truck. Rocky wants to know his father's hidden source of income, but soon tragedy hits the family.Still living in Detroit, Rocky works his way into a life of crime, following in his deceased father's footsteps as a member of the Cacuzzo crime family. Determined to be smarter and richer than his father, Rocky begins beating the system as an adolescent. He opens an automotive chop shop while still in high school. Identifying himself as Sonny Rocco, he's on the fast track to becoming a self-made man. Rocky's mother tries repeatedly to convince him to turn to God. Rocky mocks both his mom, Linda, and his young bother, Tulio. Tragedy hits home again when news comes about Tulio. Sorrow moves Linda to deepen her faith in Jesus and drives Rocky to question his life of crime. Rocky uses his stash of money to buy a house in Miami for himself and his mother, and to set up a new life away from the shadow of the Cacuzzo syndicate. However, his beautiful new life with a new family is shattered when his past associates ask for one more favor. In one night, Rocky's life is changed forever, leading him to seek redemption.

Christianity is a journey; it is a journey most of us start when God finds us in our sinfulness and delivers us to our righteousness for his names sake (Psalm 23:3). It is a process that we have to be aware of, and we have to be aware of our responsibility at each stage in order to progress to the next stage of our journey. The scriptures tell us of the journey the children of Israel had from their place of slavery, Egypt, where God rescued them with his powerful arm and then journeyed with them in the wilderness to bring them to their Promised Land, Canaan, a land he had promised to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This journey that the Israelites had is quite similar to the journey that we Christians have; the only difference is that they did their journey physically and God was with them physically as well, while ours is a spiritual journey and he is in us as the Holy Spirit, guiding us. The canon has recorded their journeys story for us to learn from and do ours better (1 Corinthians 10:6). Ive noted through the scriptures that it was just through Gods mercy that they made it through to the Promised Land; even though most of them died in the wilderness, those who made it did so only because he was merciful to them. Ive realised that I have also survived thus far just by his grace. This is what this book is all abouthis mercy that has covered me thus far, the same mercy that carried the children of Israel on their journey from Egypt to Canaan.

Life and death struggles, a common thread that connects us as human beings, are vividly revealed in this inspirational and unforgettable true story as told by a mother and her daughter of their babies, born with life threatening birth defects. Swept away on an uncharted and treacherous journey one thing clearly emerges, God, the ultimate thread that held them together through their darkest hours, was waiting for them there. He gave them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so He might be glorified through their babies life and death struggles. (Isaiah 61: 3b) At every bend in the road lives were forever changed. The baby boy unable to ever speak a word about what he endured in his fight for life went to his grave never knowing what a giant impression his tiny handprint had left on every heart he touchedleaving this world a better place than he found it. For the little girl, the veil separating Heaven and Earth was lifted . . . Mommy, I see an angel! Hoping to get a glimpse, her mommy searched the hospital room eagerly. Where do you see an angel? her mommy asked. She pointed overhead, Up there . . . in the corner of my room . . . one angel with big, pink wings. Although her mommy didnt see the Heavenly being, together they felt the comfort of its presence. On their timeless journey of faith, hope, and love, their loving God went with them through it all: healing hearts, changing lives, sharing their deepest sorrows, and sending his angels to comfort and help them. Their stories, formed in the crucible of life and death struggles, were transformed by the grace of God into a thing of beauty. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time. (Ecclesiastes 3: 11a, KJV)