The tension builds! Again, vis-a-vis a magazine article, there's an individual I must reach a.s.a.p. to know whether I'll even be able to complete the piece. If I can't reach him, I'll probably have to start all over again, on a different theme, even though I already was well into the other topic (having already interviewed the first of the two subjects). And that will squeeze the time line quite uncomfortably.

While this has been nerve-wracking, I believe I've been drawing lessons. I've gone from being freaked out (last week) to feeling pretty mellow. The reason? Why Romans 8: 26-39, of course! It seems to have been a never-ending supply of nourishment for me.

When feeling bewildered, hoping I've made right decisions, hoping it'll all work out, not knowing how to pray, etc., vs. 26 helps right off the bat: "We do not know what we ought to pray...but the Spirit himself intercedes for us..."

And as vs. 28 reminds, whatever happens will be for the best. The trick is really believing that is the case, because it's then we really do have a sort of "peace that passes understanding." We no longer have to depend entirely on what we can see in the moment but instead have gained some tiny, dim insight into what's going on behind the scenes: enough to feel at least some measure of peace.