A Package in the Mail That Made My Whole Year

After the drama from the last two weeks, we can all use some happy news, right?

Like getting PUBLISHED?

*giggle*

So I had to share the happy news with you, friends. If you open up this month’s (October’s) issue of the Friend Magazine, you will find on page 42 a story written by Kasey Tross. That’s me. Kasey Tross. I wrote it.

*SQUEEEEEEAL!*

Okay, got that out of my system. The Friend magazine has accepted several pieces I’ve written for them, but this is the first one to see the light of day (and I submitted it a year- or two? three? ago). The day I found out I happened to be going to my mom’s house, so I was really excited I would get to show her in person. Here’s how that went:

Me: “Mom, I brought you a little present!”

Mom: “Oh, really? What is it?” [she grins]

[I dramatically reveal the Friend magazine]

Mom [smile faltering]: “Oh, the Friend. Ah, okay...”

Me: “Open it up to page 42.”

Mom: “Okay...” [opens to said page] “Huh. ‘Patrick and the Priesthood.’”

Me (seeing that she’s still not getting it): “Look right there, Mom. See what it says?” [I point to the spot where my name is]

Mom [squinting]: “Hmm? Oh, well shoot. I need my glasses. Let me go get my glasses.”

Me: DYING

Mom: “Okay, here we go, let’s see...oh- Kasey Tross- Kasey Tross? *SQUEEEEEEAAAL!*”

Me: “I KNOW! *SQUEEEEEAL*”

Yeah, so that was fun.

On a more serious note, the day I found out about my story being published was just a few days after that blog post about women in the church had blown up in my face. When I opened the package from LDS Distribution with the note inside that said, “Congratulations! Your work has been published in the Friend Magazine,” it was like someone had wrapped a warm blanket around me. It was like God was saying, I know the work that you’re doing, and I know that you stood up for Me this week. There might be a lot of people who will speak out against you, but there will be even more who will now be using your words to teach and bless others. “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

It was just what I needed, and it was a reassurance from my Father that He knows me and is aware of the struggles I face, especially when they are on His behalf. And do I think it’s a coincidence that the story they published was the one I wrote about the priesthood? Nope. :-)

So, carry on friends- the road is long, but I have a testimony that we have One who is looking out for us every step of the way.