Article December 29, 2008 Issue

COMMITTED TO GOD'S LIFE PLAN

BY PAMELA J. CONCAR

I OPENED THE LETTER AND READ "Foreclosure Notice." My heart just sank. I hadn't been able to make a mortgage payment for three months, so I'd known the letter was coming sooner or later. But it was still a shock.

I'd bought a house with my working sister and retired mother. Things changed when my sister got married and moved away. My mother and I could no longer afford the house, so I thought the most logical thing to do was sell and just buy something smaller. But the housing market at the time was soft. I was praying about this, but I think it was mostly talking to God and not really listening.

As months rolled on, there were no offers to buy the house. On top of this, I started experiencing severe stomach pains, and my hair began to fall out. Soon, I actually had large bald spots on my head. This was a troubling development because I'd always loved my long hair, and felt embarrassed about my changed appearance.