Murder, Motherhood, and Miraculous Grace

From the flap:
I stared at the yellow phone for a moment, nearly afraid to pick it up for all the bad news it had brought me in such a short time. I couldn’t think who might be calling so early. Then, I raced to grab it before it woke everyone in the house.

"Hello. This is the Natrona County Detention Center," a recording announced. "You have a collect call from an inmate. If you wish to accept the charges, say yes now. If not, simply hang up."

An inmate? The word ripped at my stomach and wrenched my body. I could think of only one inmate-the one on my mind all night. You have to be kidding me! Aghast at the thought of Karen calling me, I turned toward the wall to hang up. Does she really think I would accept the charges and take her call? My mind raced as my hand, gripping the receiver, moved from my ear toward the phone base. "No way," I whis-pered, about to hang up.

In that very second, a voice swept through my mind. "If she were to call me, would I take her call?" My heart recognized the voice-Jesus. I froze. "You are my hands and feet and voice. Do you represent me or not?"

I knew I had to take the call. "Lord, be with me. I cannot do this alone," I whispered. Raising my eyes toward heaven I heard myself say clearly, "Yes."