I was experiencing a very challenging time in my life.  My wife was leaving me and my father was dying.  I had loved both very much.  I was entering a state of darkness that seemed to surround my entire being.  As I was alone in my thoughts trying to sort things out, I found a book on our bedroom dresser.  It was titled Prison to Praise, written by Merlin R. Carothers in 1970.

I asked my wife where the book had come from, for I had never seen it, and I did not put it on the dresser.  She said she did not know, and she had never seen the book, either.  I asked her if anyone had been in the house that may have left it there.  She said no, and reminded me that I had been home for a couple of days and I would have known if anyone had been over.  I agreed and didn't worry about it any more.  I did pick it up, however, and started to read it.  I looked at the inside cover to find that the author was, at the time, a military chaplain.  Curious, I began to scan through the book.

I landed on a story about a young soldier who had come to Merlin for spiritual advice regarding his failing marriage.  He was in a state of despair, for he loved his wife immensely and could not picture his life without her.  She was leaving him and he was desperately searching for help.

Merlin asked him if he believed in God.  The young soldier said, "Definitely."  Merlin then asked him if he believed God is perfect.  The soldier said, "Yes."  Then, Merlin suggested that, in God's perfection, everything is happening according to His perfect plan.  In theory, the soldier understood, but he did not understand how this helped the situation with his wife.

Merlin said that if God is perfect, and nothing is not of God, then all things must be happening perfectly according to God's will.  It is our ego that has a hard time letting go and trusting that God is moving through everything that is happening.  It is almost as if, in our ego, we have become the creator and God is the creation.  This is what creates great limitation in the human experience.  We have a way of trying to diminish the "All That Is."

The young soldier was too caught up in the emotion of what he perceived to be his tragic loss.  He wanted to know what he could do to change the probable outcome of his wife leaving him.  Merlin suggested that he believe in the perfection of God and thank God for what was occurring, regardless of what the outcome may be.  Just trust in God and thank Him for whatever takes place as the best answer/gift from God.  He mentioned that Jesus never supplicated to God for anything.  He never asked or begged for a certain outcome.  Instead, Jesus thanked God in advance for answering all prayer, knowing that God will never fail him.

This was just too much for the young soldier.  And even though it was striking dead center into my own situation, it was too much for me to accept, too. I thought I was reading a load of horse manure, and decided to call my best friend (who is a devout fundamentalist Christian) to get his opinion.  He immediately said to me, "If it's not from the Bible, put it down!"  I told him that the author is a military chaplain and that he was quoting the Bible, and I didn't think any disciple of Satan would read out of the Bible.  He began to explain how Satan was crafty, and that I should only get my daily bread directly out of the one true Good Book.  I told him that he was being no help at all.  He then said that he would talk to his minister to see if he had ever heard of Merlin Carothers. This conversation took place on a Thursday afternoon.  The following Sunday, my friend called me.  He said, "Hey, you know that guy we were talking about earlier in the week?"  I said, "What guy?"  (I had forgotten all about it.)  He said, "Merlin Carothers, the military chaplain."  "Oh, yeah," I said. "Did you talk to your pastor about him?"  My friend said, "I didn't have to.  Merlin Carothers conducted the service in our church today."

"He talked about thanking God for all things and transcending believing into knowing, kind of like not having to believe in the chair you're sitting in because you know you're sitting on a chair.  Thanking God for answering all prayer and then letting it go, so God can do His work."

What are the chances of someone reading a book in early 1997 that was written in 1970, then discussing thoughts about the author with a friend, only to have your friend meet the author three days later?  Not to mention that my wife and I had no idea how the book appeared in my house?

God did some work here.

Scott Edwards
Used by permission

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