More From Jack L. Bodden

The January-February issue of The Upper Room includes my devotional entitled “The Bird in the Storm.” I guess it was the first devotional or meditation I have ever written, and it was not really intended to be a devotional when I wrote it. It was just my thoughts about an experience that touched me and caused me to reflect on God and God’s concern for each of us.

Over the years I have found that writing down my thoughts about emotionally impactful experiences is quite therapeutic. When my wife read what I had written, she encouraged me to submit it to The Upper Room, which she reads daily. To my surprise, my submission was accepted for publication. My wife subsequently urged me to write more such meditations, which eventually led to publishing a book of thirty-two devotionals through Amazon.  The book gets its title from one of the included devotionals, which draws on an experience my wife and I had when several cardinals appeared in our yard following the death of our beloved Australian Shepherd Rosie. After seeing the cardinals, we learned of the legends that say cardinals are messengers from God sent to comfort us, especially in times of loss and grief.

Writing the devotionals and publishing them was a very meaningful experience for me, and we gave copies of the book to friends and family at Christmas. Several of the recipients of the book have told me how meaningful the devotionals were for them. That feedback served to remind me how often we find that when we share significant personal life experiences with others, they are able to resonate with our experiences. Such sharing seems to build bridges and draw us closer together.