Portrait Of A Hero - Janet

The Warmth of Confidence

By Janet Perez Eckles

Like an unexpected storm, a black curtain fell on my world, erasing my dreams and that of my husband and my three little boys. A disease of the retina robbed my sight. Total blindness ushered Despair that filled my night as anxiety consumed my days. Sobs blended with pleas to God for healing turned to desperation. 


Then in the midst of bitterness and anguish, I received a phone call. A friend invited me to her Christian church. I accepted with a twinge of hope, holding on to her arm, we found a seat among the congregation.


At first, Bible verses I heard rolled off my hardened heart. But then, all at once, like fresh water, a verse soaked into my parched soul. It stopped the pounding of my pain and with a mixture of power and gentleness, the verse forced me to look up, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33 NIV). 


A quick sigh slipped from my lips and momentarily unaware, my sobbing stopped. What I heard entered my heart like a floodlight revealing every detail of the source of my pain-I had been consumed with the desperate desire to see again. This was my priority number one-nothing else mattered, but God instructed otherwise-to seek Him first. 


Seek Him first? But how! The answer came in one word-decision. I had a choice: to continue to sink into my sorrow or look up, open my heart and see what God would do. 


I chose the latter, I accepted Jesus as my Savior, my Lord and my all. The promise I just heard in this verse warmed me like a soft blanket removing the cold shiver of desperation. 


The miracle I hoped for was called freedom. Like opening my hand to let go the grip of a helium balloon, I pried my heart open and released my pain, my bitterness and my sorrow. 


My children saw a new Mom. And my husband showed gladness at my transformation. 


One evening, he came home and said in a singing tone, 


"I got a surprise for you.” 


"Oh should I close my eyes?" We both laughed out loud. 


I felt a square object in my hands and ran my fingers to examine it, 


"CD’s?" 


"Of the Bible," he answered. I squealed like a little girl as I clutched them to my chest, "Its better than any gift you could give me, better than a huge diamond!" I hugged him long and tight. 


The Word of God nourished my soul and placed a permanent light into my darkness. I gained wisdom to see my family with my heart and care for them with my love. 


The storm disappeared. A rainbow of hope painted across the blue skies of my life. And the sunshine of God’s love shone the light of confidence, determination and peace. 

Although blind, Janet Perez Eckles has been inspiring thousands with her writing included in 28 books, her keynote messages and recently with her #1 Amazon.com bestselling, inspirational book, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta. 

www.janetperezeckles.com 

Janet Perez Eckles Janet will have you dancing to the melody of God’s joy in her # 1 best-selling book, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta.

Website: www.janetperezeckles.com 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/janeteckles 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/janeteckles 
Inspirational Blog: www.janetperezeckles.com/blog