“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” — Isaiah 40:8 NIV

My book had been out for ten days when I discovered a terrible blunder. Wanting to clean up the mess of files I had on my Mac, I deleted—and then “emptied trash” of—what I had painstakingly uploaded, edited, and laid out in a software program called Vellum. As they say—and as I keep learning painfully—you don’t know what you don’t know.

I now readily acknowledge my lack of basic understanding in operating a computer. I assumed that the Vellum software would “save” these files, but they don’t provide a server to back up one’s work.

Why would I want these files since the book is already out? Simply to correct typos I’m finding as I read through the devotions myself.

After about 36 hours of pit-dwelling and trying everything I could to recreate the files from old documents, I gave up. What helped me climb up and out and into the light of eternal reality was when Mike uttered, “The juice is not worth the squeeze!” If I wanted to format and edit 448 pages all over again, it would take time I could be using to write the next book!

All mistakes and failures provide rich lessons if one is willing to accept and apply them. Mike has given me a tutorial in best computing practices, and I now know I won’t make some of the same mistakes again.

But most importantly, the Lord has shifted my eyes up and onto Him. My writing—this book about God—will not last forever, but HE will. And so will His Word. Every human being will also endure through time, either with God or away from Him.

Acknowledging the Eternal centers me. So, what I have been doing this last week is soaking myself in the Father’s lasting love for me.  One of the verses I’ve been basking in comes from Daniel 10:19. My rewrite goes like this: O woman, greatly loved, fear not. Peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.

God’s love and His Word never end. Focusing on them gives life. Tech problems drain us!