Table of Contents
Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Expect the Unexpected Extra Innings Hal McCoy 3 Deliver Us from Bullies Nellie Edwards 8 Homeless in Rome Pat Sagsveen 11 He Opened the Door to Our Hearts Connie Goss 15 Divine Images Jason Jenicke 20 Providential Cookies and Rent Anita Usher 25 Everyday Hero Chet Czubko, Jr. 29 Chapter 2 With God All Things Are Possible The Road to the Rebels Immaculee Ilibagiza 35 Lion! Oh My! Peggy M. Podboy 42 Safe Harbor Luke Armstrong 46 All the World's a Stage Father Benjamin Francis 50 Loving the Rapist's Child Heather Gemmen Wilson 62 One in Faith Rebecca Lengenfelder 66 Chapter 3 He Picked Me Up When I Was Down All Is Forgiven, Sadie Hawkins! Mark P. Shea 73 Survivors' Wisdom (quotations) Various 76 Marriage Marathon Luke Armstrong 80 Mary, the Mother Who Waits - Part One Heidi Hess Saxton 85 Stay and Be Light Mark Mallett 88 Bald and Beautiful Marybeth Hicks 94 Chapter 4 The Lighter Side of Surviving The Incense That Burned My Pride Away Matt Fern 99 G.P.S. S.O.S. - cartoon George Abbott 103 Surviving Kid Country Tim Bete 104 A Wheel Dilemma - cartoon George Abbott 106 Survivors' Humor Various 107 Survivor: Suburbia - cartoon George Abbott 109 Surviving Survivor Tim Bete 110 Bounced by Bureaucracy - cartoon George Abbott 112 The Scales of Injustice Elizabeth Schmeidler 113 Survivors' One-Liners Anonymous 116 Chapter 5 His Healing Touch Never Say Never Susan Brinkmann 119 Battling with Pregnancy Ashli McCall 124 A Doctor and a Catholic Laura Archuleta 128 The Gift of Cancer Susan Brinkmann 135 Against All Odds Michael Jordan Segal 139 The Most Glorious Vocation Susan Babcock 145 Chapter 6 Family Matters The "Imperfect" Storm Jim Cantore 149 Blessed and Broken CathyAdamkiewicz 153 Just Come Home Margaret Williams 161 God Hears a Mother's Prayers Susan Brinkmann 168 Full Circle Chuck Piola 172 In His Hands Elizabeth Matthews 177 Triple Blessing Melody LaFountain 182 Chapter 7 Life Is Precious Melissa Patricia M. Devlin 187 Survival of the Human Spirit Luke Armstrong 190 A Former Altar Boy on Death Row Luke Armstrong 193 Don't Jump John Gallagher 199 Steadfast Love Nancy Patin Falini 207 Survival Day-by-Day Chris Cash 213 The Baby Who Would Not Die Rob L. Staples 216 Acknowledgments 219 Editor and Contributor Contact Information 221 About the Editors 223