Awestruckedness: Right Place, Right Time, Perfect Blessing

By Diane MacKay

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 

Awestruckedness is a book about what happens to you when you are in the right place at the right time to have a seemingly random, awe-in

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Aug 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887380445

Diane MacKay

Diane MacKay is the author behind Awestruckedness. A nurse, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a sister. A frontline hero by day, inspirational writer by night. She is a proud Italian Catholic who was born in New Jersey and raised in Colorado. Diane is a lover of life and enthusiastically curious about God's next plan for her.

Book preview

Dedication

To those who have ever found it joyful, painful, awkward, beautiful, confusing, and amazing to be the clay in our Father’s hands, you are not alone. Never give up.

"As the clay is in the potter’s hand,

so are you in my hand."

– Jeremiah 18:6 (NLT)

Grateful Acknowledgment

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. – Psalm 62:5-6 (NRSVA)

I have wanted to write a book for twenty years. I thought I had the right title, the right theme, the right story to tell, but somehow the words for nearly a dozen book ideas never seemed to move from my brain to my heart to the pages. God has a way of making dreams become a reality. Publishing Awestruckedness was made possible because of the people He has placed in my life over the years.

To my husband, Peter MacKay, you never tired of hearing me say, I am going to write a book. For thirty-three years you have stood by my side, cheering me on as my biggest fan. You never doubted I would write a book or publish this book. Without your support over the years, Peter, this book would never have come to life.

To my son Alex MacKay, thank you for sharing your gift of perseverance. Your journey to becoming a professional has not been easy. Watching you travel on the sometimes-rocky path toward your dream has been surreal. For twenty years, each step you have taken has been planned. Little did I realize that as I quietly cheered you on from the sidelines, I gained the strength and courage needed to persevere on my own journey.

To my daughter, Lauren MacKay Anderson, you drew the picture of the adorable brown dog with big eyes and floppy ears for my first book cover at the age of 10! I would have used it if the book had ever gone anywhere. Beyond your beautiful, creative mind, you have kept me on track when I have often felt overwhelmed and lost in this unfamiliar world of self-publishing.

To my father, William Rossi, who taught me unconditional love and forgiveness; my grandmother, Nana, who gave me the gift of faith; my sister, Cindy, who has shown me the meaning of love and acceptance; my brother, Craig, who has taught me the importance of family.

I wish to express my deepest love and gratitude to my dear friend Toni Foos. You spent countless hours with me, side-by-side as my first editor. Thanks to you, Toni, I did not stand alone.

To my late mother-in-law, my Mum, Nancy MacKay. Mum had the uncanny ability to spin her wisdom, lessons, and challenges into a ball of love. Never a day goes by that I do not think about how extraordinary my Mum made me feel, how amazing she made everyone feel, and how she would have been the first buyer and reader of my book.

To the many friends and family members who, over the years, have shown me kindness and love, filled my soul with joy, and listened when my heart ached. Each of you has touched me deeply in ways you will never know. A partial list includes Ted Gomez, Pam Vigil, Carol Butler, Cindi Peiffer, Kelly and Todd Amen, Rosemarie Pfaff, son-in-law Jaron, and daughter-in-law Kelly.

Lastly, a special thanks to the woman in my 2012 seminar Leap in Faith. Though I cannot remember your name, I definitely remember how we all laughed out loud together when you suggested I write a book about all of my book titles. I also remember how you made me feel as you acknowledged there really was a book inside of me. A remarkable book. A God book. But how much longer would I have to wait? I wondered impatiently. As it turned out, another 10 years. Long enough for God to teach me a few powerful lessons about faith, about trust, and about the importance of leaning on others to fulfill His purpose in my life.

With heartfelt gratitude and love,

Diane

Introduction

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation

of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD,

my Rock and my Redeemer." – Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

Have you ever longed to belong? Somewhere? Anywhere? In