Tonight my blog site has a few additions: the cover of my book and a photo of Jack and me at the beach. My accommodating son-in-law, Adam, has faithfully managed www.GettingThroughThis.com since its inception three years ago and has been my go-to guy for problems of any kind.

Now, as a result of his fine work, my little devotional book is available in the margin and can be ordered by clicking on any of the web addresses beneath its picture. It will be ready for shipping next week, and my prayer has been and will continue to be that people who are swamped with grief over losing a mate will secure a copy and be uplifted by the short daily devotionals inside.

When I first posted on this web site, I had no idea I’d one day write a book that would be available in the margin. But then again I had no idea back then that widowhood would be the subject line. Of course God saw all of that and even now sees what might be posted in the margin next year at this same time. None of us should put anything past God’s doing.

One thing I’ve learned, though, is that whenever God puts opportunity in our path, he also puts helpers and encouragers there, too. Adam has been both of those for me in my relationship with this web site. Over time he has good-naturedly taught me how to use its features, and that has meant many repeated explanations of the same web task, over and over.

But Adam is a patient young man, and never once has he criticized his non-techy mother-in-law for being a slow learner. Because of that I don’t ever hesitate to ask him new questions, and I never worry he might respond harshly. God was the one who put him next to me in this web undertaking, and in these three years I’ve gotten to know him well enough to believe that even when I’m not around, he isn’t complaining about me. The fact that he married into our family was, as Nate often said, “a home run.”

Adam has taught us all by his example. He’s been willing to be used of the Lord in the lives of others, and because of that, God has used him. And the good news is that any of us can follow suit and experience that same lofty privilege of being a tool in God’s hands. So if we want our lives to count for something valuable, something permanent, all we need to do is tell the Master, “I’m available” (as Adam has), and God will do the rest.

“If anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21)