Hope When the World Shut Down

By Bonnie R. Pearson and Vicki Gollihue

Like a cool drink on a summer day, “Hope When the World Shut Down” offers an oasis of hope from a world that often leaves us parched and exhausted.

A compilation of short stories from believers in all walks of life, these snapshots, written during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, will leave you laughing and crying as you read how ordinary people held onto God’s promises.

You’ll be sure to identify with these easy-to-read stories by doctors, educators, students, ministers, homemakers and grandparents, packed with uplifting Scripture. Whether reading it as a daily devotional or all in one sitting, you will come away refreshed, feeling like you just spent an evening with an old friend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664208384

Bonnie R. Pearson

Bonnie R. Pearson has a heart for people and ministry. She is a gifted speaker and uses the creative arts to share the love of the Lord through concerts and recording. Bonnie is co-director of EHAD Ministries and a vocalist in the music group, EHAD. The author of two children’s books, she has written and directed many plays and musicals. A mother of four and “Nonna” to four grandsons, she resides in Erial, New Jersey with her husband, Dan. Vicki Gollihue has a passion for telling stories through song and the spoken word. Her background in ministry and music has given her the heart to encourage and uplift. She is a concert vocalist and voice teacher with a gift for, and great love for, teaching her students. She also enjoys her work as a freelance copy editor. A mother of four and grandmother of three, Vicki and her husband, Keith, live in Erial, New Jersey.

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Copyright © 2020 Bonnie R. Pearson and Vicki Gollihue.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system

without the written permission of the author except in the case of

brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0839-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0840-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0838-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020920038

WestBow Press rev. date:  11/10/2020

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible

(AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible,

English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing

ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked (GWT) is taken from the God’s Word Translation. GOD’S

WORD is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations. Quotations are used

by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian

Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999,2000,2002,2003,2009

Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®,

and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture marked (ICB) taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright

© 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) taken from the New American Standard

Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,

1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New

International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,

Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.

zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks

registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

Scripture marked (NKJV) taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright

© 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living

Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale

House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from New Revised Standard Version

Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the

United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A sincere thank you to …

Kelly Gollihue, Erin Roten, and Anna Pearson

for their dedicated assistance to this project.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

You hold in your hand a book of true tales and life lessons learned during a pandemic. The stories are not written by famous people or expert authors. They are written by fellow strugglers, our brothers and sisters, who never expected to add pandemic survivor to their resumes.

I was approached to write this foreword by authors Bonnie R. Pearson and Vicki Gollihue. Bonnie and Vicki were instrumental in the production of the play Martin and Gracia by Larry Belew in 2012. The play recounted the story of our year-long hostage nightmare at the hands of terrorists in the Philippine jungle, and the dramatic rescue during which my husband, Martin, was tragically killed. Bonnie directed the play, and Vicki, who was running the sound, was responsible for making sure the rescue helicopter came in at just the right time. Now Bonnie and Vicki are, once again, using their creative genius to bring us this book.

Hope When the World Shut Down is much more than just a collection of this is what happened to me stories. They are stories that will encourage us to persevere rather than retreat. They will inspire us to choose faith over fear. They will remind us that we are always in God’s everlasting arms!

I am confident that this book will mark a trail for us to follow and encourage us as our world, again, begins to move forward on its beautiful journey.

Gracia Burnham, Author

New York Times Bestseller

In the Presence of My Enemies

DEDICATION

In memory of my mother, Sara Jean Daugherty,

for her loving example of how to be a Christ-follower, wife, and mother.

She brought joy to countless family and friends,

including Bonnie, the Lucy to my Ethel.

Mom

I miss your voice, your hugs, your smile,

and especially your stories!

Everyone loved a good Mom story,

so these are dedicated to you.

Vicki Gollihue

(and Bonnie R. Pearson)

INTRODUCTION

These are unusual times. A few short months ago, we went to work, visited family, ate dinner at our favorite restaurants, and went to church. We took these things for granted. The pages that follow are filled with stories of lives changed by an unexpected adversary.

Although this is an extraordinary season, it is not unprecedented. Looking to our past, people responded in a similar way during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Unable to access the technology of today, sermons were printed in local papers to encourage and teach congregants from a safe distance. To quote Rev. Fletcher Parrish of Birmingham, Alabama:

Meditation is very profitable for the soul, but the rush of the world is so great at present that very little time is given to cogitation and reflection. Men think they have no time to walk out in the fields for contemplation, or to sit quietly by the fireside and muse.

However, we have a God-given opportunity for this helpful indulgence by reason of this unique Sabbath which has dawned upon us. Out of necessity our churches are closed, and all public gatherings must be discontinued. We cannot go motoring, and we would not go to business … But we can sit by the fire and give ourselves