Thanks for Grief, Rejection, Disappointments and Derailments

Abba, Father,
before this day was three hours old
you twice reminded me
of tragedy and disappointment in my life
for which I have cause to be deeply thankful.
Thank you for my mother's death
when I was fourteen,
because by it you taught me to depend on you
and live to please you;
without it, I have no trouble believing
I would have clung to her desperately
and foolishly
and to my harm.
Thank you, too, for rejection by the first four publishers
I submitted my Don't Check Your Brains proposal to,
for by those rejections you steered me to Word,
and Joey,
and Josh.
Thank you for all the griefs and rejections
and disappointments and derailments
I have suffered in my life
that have not yet been shown, as these have,
to be just as gracious and kind and merciful
as every ray of sun you've shined on my path.
Your mercies are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Amen.