Tampa Tribune Article about ...ME!

I took a bite of breakfast cereal as I rubbed my sleepy eyes and turned the page of the Tampa Tribune. Whoa, doggies! I almost spewed my Wheaties as my own life-sized face smiled back. Well, it wasn't quite life-sized but it was sure big enough to show the crows feet and under-eye luggage. Wouldn't you think they might have magical picture putty for that?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jan/03/na-author-enjoys-a-do-over/news-metro/
or go to tampatrib.com, scroll down under Local News (1/3/09) and see the second item, "Author Enjoys A Do-Over." It's also on my website, www.DeboraCoty.com (The online picture is different than the printed monstrosity.)

Anyway, I was completely shocked at the full-page article on page 6 of the main section (I thought it would be much smaller and tucked into a back page somewhere). But at the same time, I felt completely blessed that God had arranged the details of my life to start the new year out with such a lovely plug to my writing ministry.

He's the Lord of details, you know.

One of my favorite stories to prove this has always been when Jesus' disciples were sent to search for a place to have the Passover dinner (Last Supper)and found that Jesus had pre-arranged all the details down to the man meeting them with a pitcher of water on his head (Mark 14:12-16).

It came to my attention this Christmas season that the same was true of the Wise Men who followed the star to find Baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-21). God had pre-arranged all the details. Daniel was captured and taken to Babylon 500 years before; the Magi, descendants of Daniel's people (at least they were remnants of his faith), traveled 900 miles for more than a year to arrive at just the right time to offer their costly gifts to Mary and Joseph. The gold, frankincense and myrrh funded the family's emergency flight to Egypt (just after the Magi's last camel disappeared over the hill) to save Jesus from the death raid of jealous King Herod.

Wow! It's humbling and incredibly encouraging to know the Creator of the Universe somehow finds the time to manage even the smallest details of our lives. It makes it much easier to trust Him with the big stuff, doesn't it?

-Deb Coty