Pennies from Heaven: Discovering the Everyday Affections of God

By Carolyn Hansen

For those feeling hopeless, rejected or unloved and desperately seeking to experience unconditional love, you will find it here. Through the author's personal journey and original illustrations, you will not only read, but see what unconditional love looks like. You will discover how finding just a single penny reveals how much you are loved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781947165496

Book preview

Carolyn

To my husband Rich, who never failed to lovingly encourage me with words of wisdom.

To Julie Mustard, my editor, who never changed the true thoughts of my heart, just enhanced them, and directed this new adventure for me.

To Bobby Schwendenmann, graphic designer extraordinaire, who took my simple cut and paste pictures, and made them beautiful.

To Camille, who passionately believes in this project.

Most of all, to my Heavenly Father, Who gave me the privilege of sharing His love with you.

i. How are you?"

I’ve been thinking about you lately

Hello, it’s good to see you again!

We’ve been wanting to get together with you sometime

These greetings are some of the nicest things people can say to you. We respond to thoughtful statements by thanking them because of the warm and fuzzy feelings we have inside. It’s so wonderful to know people are thinking about you from time to time, and even better when you can actually spend time with them. But time goes by, lives get busier, and good intentions have to wait. Time together is not always available and often we find ourselves wondering if we are even thought of at all.

However, there is Someone Whose thoughts are always on you, night and day, 24/7. It is written in the Bible, in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 16:

Look…I have written your name upon the palm of My hand, and your walls are ever before Me.

To think that your name can be engraved on the hand of God, is humbling beyond words. Why would the Creator of this Universe make such a promise? How could He be this personal? The answer is simple- because He is totally, deeply, and passionately in love with you! He longs to walk and talk with you, to give you an abundant life, to be with you in all things. There is no other explanation. It’s just that simple.

When your Heavenly Father chose to write your name on the palm of His hand, there was a reason. He did not put your name on His back, somewhere on His leg, shoulder, or anywhere else; it is right where He can see it at any moment in time. Not only does He see you, He sees everything that surrounds your life as well. The mention of your walls are ever before Me indicates that He sees your dwelling place, the town you live in, and all things concerning your life.

When you are eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner, He is thinking about you. He thinks about you while you are at work, driving, enjoying a cup of coffee, playing and every other activity you could dream up. He isn’t just present in the happy moments. He is also there when you are hurting, alone, or afraid; even then, He is still thinking about you. He is constantly watching those He loves, and through the most difficult times, He still remembers you.

Every second, minute, and hour of your life, is under His watchful eyes, all the while continuing to move you toward the plans He has designed just for you. He engraves our names on His hand as a permanent visual reminder, a marking, of His love for us.

As I was thinking about the different ways our culture uses markings, I began considering the popular trend of getting tattooed. Why would someone want to get a tattoo? It might be the way they remember a special event, or to honor someone they want to keep close. Perhaps it could be a statement about a certain point of view on some issue, or sharing their deepest thoughts. It seems that a generation of people are marking their bodies to remind them of things that are important to them.

Thinking a little deeper, markings like these are also found in the world of business and invention. When a person has a new idea, a new system or structure to make something work, there is often a patent or trademark associated with it. A person often pays a large sum of money to get a patent because it declares ownership and protects their intellectual property. In creating a new product, a unique design for a piece of clothing, writing a song or a book, a person now has a permanent mark on that product.

For many people scattered throughout our country, a trademark often comes in the form of a brand. This brand refers to the practice of farmers and ranchers, who take the time to create a unique and individual branding design for their livestock and even their ranch. After the design is carefully chosen, and the branding iron is created, each animal is individually taken aside, and given a mark that is specific to their owner. That mark tells anyone who sees it, who that particular animal belongs to. The owner of the ranch, now has the right to say, This one is mine!

These practical references all point to The One Who carefully made all the intricate details of our bodies, has written our names on the palm of His hand, so He can rightfully declare to the heavens, that you belong to Him. He loves you unconditionally. The amazing thing about God is that He will not force you to love Him in return. He offers each of us a free will clause, meaning we