I found myself in the wilderness struggling to find my way home.  It had been so long that I didn't even realize that I was there.  In my wilderness bitterness, anger, shame and regret surrounded me.  The longer I stayed there, the deeper into the wilderness I sank.  No prayers could help me to get out of this place.  So I stayed where I was, wandering aimlessly with no hope.  If you've ever been in this place you know what I'm talking about.  It could be the most sunny day, but you've grown so accustomed to the darkness that you can't see the light.  You play the blame game because you don't want to face the truth.  Staying in bed and withdrawing from others has become your refuge but not your strength.  You could go to a doctor or a counselor for help but still nothing would change.  And so, you remain in this place all alone.

That was me. Oh, I was going to church, Sunday School and singing in the choir but I was just going through the motions.  And because of that,...

As a young teenager I used to love to sketch. I think maybe it was my refuge. I would find something that I found interesting and would copy it. I used to love to draw Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters. I even once entered a drawing contest where you copied the "Leprechaun" and sent in your drawing for a chance to win a scholarship to an art school. Several weeks later I received a phone call that I had won the contest but that they needed to speak to one of my parents. My dad declined the offer and told me afterward that it was just a scam and that they were just trying to get us to pay them money. I was devastated. I had just received the news that I was good at drawing. Good enough to win a contest and maybe receive a scholarship, only to have my bubble burst because it was a scam. So there went my dream of becoming a famous artist one day. I did however, take art in my first year of senior high school. In the beginning the lessons focused primarily on sketching and...

It seems all of my life I've been on a mission. When I was a child I was on a mission to be the best musician in the band. So I started out on the recorder as most youngsters do these days, and chose the flute to be my instrument. I held first chair for one day and ultimately ended up at nearly last chair. Although I still love to dust off my flute case, pull that shiny piece of metal out, put it together and blow across it to make a beautiful sound; I resolved myself that I would never be a James Galway. Spectacular is far too simple a word to describe his rendition of The Flight of the Bumblebees. I can just see all of those bumble bees flying around, landing on the flowers to collect the nectar when I listen to this piece ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDLI3wIHFQkAk&v=LI3wIHFQkAk...