Soli Deo Gloria

If all goes as promised, my book God, Mom, Alzheimer's, and Me will be published sometime next summer by Bridge-Logos. It is a book of devotions and practical advice for those who care for loved ones with dementia.

The book began when an editor saw this blog and encouraged me to write a book. Her Catholic publishing company did not accept the finished manuscript, dismissing it as being "too Protestant!" This did not upset me unduly--because you see, I am indeed Protestant! I listed the manuscript with an online Christian manuscript service, and Harvest House publishers expressed interest. But Bridge-Logos responded almost immediately with an offer of a contract, and so I signed. The editing process was painstaking and the publishing date has been postponed from fall 2008 to summer 2009; but until today I had confidence that the book would indeed be published.

However, the economic crisis has had far reaching effects. My editor wrote to me today and asked me to partner with Bridge-Logos by purchasing 500 copies of my book.

F i v e H u n d r e d copies. The UPS man will not be happy. And where will I put five hundred books? It is sure to be a little book, and just a paperback; but still. I was picturing them stacked to the ceiling in the garage until I remembered--we don't have a garage, only a carport!

What am I going to do???

I'm going to trust the Lord, that's what.

While I wrote God, Mom, Alzheimer's and Me a small printed sign hung above my word processor. It read, "Soli Deo Gloria." This is Latin for "to God alone be the Glory." I repeated this phrase as a daily prayer as I wrote of the struggles of caregiving and of God's faithfulness to my mother and me.

I wrote this book for Jesus, and it is true that my prayer is for it to help others who must fight the battles of resentment, grief, and weariness that caregiving brings. But even if no one ever reads my book, I've given the Lord a gift in its writing and that is blessing enough. To be able to give to Him! Yes!!

To God alone be the glory!
****
Oh. By the way. If you'd like to reserve an advance copy of a great little devotional entitled God, Mom, Alzheimer's, and Me, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find one for you. Sometime next summer. Probably.

Scripture: "...I said, 'I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with him'" (Isaiah 49:4).