"LOVE YOU FOREVER" IS A PHRASE WORTHY OF SAYING TO MILDRED BOWIE EVERY DAY; BECAUSE IT IS TRUE. WE AS A PEOPLE CELEBRATE OUR GOD, HIS GOODNESS, METAPHORES, STORIES OF FAITH AND GRACE THAT SPEAK TO OUR HEARTS. WE LIVE ON MANY LEVELS IN A STRANGE AND HOSTILE WORLD.

MILDRED BOWIE IS A CHILD OF A CREATIVE GOD WHO HAS GIVEN HER GRACE, FAITH AND CONTENTMENT AMONG ALL THE GRIEF AND CATATHIPHIES THAT HINGE ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE IS BEING BLESSED BY GOD.

OUR CREATOR INTENDS FOR US TO HAVE A FULL LIFE, ONE THAT IS FILLED WITH THE PURE LOVE OF GOD AND COMPANIONSHIP OF THOSE AROUND US.

SMALL WONDER THAT MILDRED BOWIE DREAMS OF DESERT ISLANDS, OF QUIET SAFE PLACES WHERE SHE MIGHT CATCH HER BREATH FOR A MOMENT. BUT WITHOUT SUCH AN ISLAND, THERE IS ONLY LIFE WITH MYSTERIOUS EVER-PRESENT CHALLENGES IN OUR VERY EXISTENCE.

SO MUCH HINGES ON GOD WHO IS ALWAYS AT WORK IN OUR LIVES. PRAYER IS THE DOORWAY THROUGH WHICH WE RECOGNIZE THAT EACH HUMAN IS A GIFT, AND GOD REMAINS OUR CHIEF DELIGHT AND GLORY.

SEE WHAT GREAT LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD!

AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE. ( JOHN 3: 1, (NIV).