A Bag of Blue: On a Treasure Hunt with God

By Patty Williams

Out of a season of exhaustion and confusion, Patty wondered if she had missed the mark in her Christian journey. She was continually busy, but was she doing the right things? Needing clarity, she asked God for a sign that would point her in the right direction. He answered her in an unexpected way and with unexpected items, each connected to the

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary Ethel Eckard
• Release date: Jun 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9798990457676

Book preview

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A Bag of Blue

On a Treasure Hunt with God

Patty Williams

To contact the author: [e-mail]

Copyright © 2024 Patty Williams. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations for review purposes, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the author.

Published by

Mary Ethel Eckard

Frisco, Texas

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024909234

ISBN (Print): 979-8-9904576-6-9

ISBN (Ebook): 979-8-9904576-7-6

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NCB are taken from the New Catholic Bible, copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NABRE are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition© 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover Photos:

Patty is seen climbing to the summit of Croagh Patrick, a mountain with a height of 764m and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland. The mountain has a pyramid-shaped peak and overlooks Clew Bay, rising above the village of Murrisk. It has long been seen as a holy mountain and is associated with Saint Patrick, who is said to have spent forty days fasting on the summit. Patty’s great grandfather, Patrick Taugher, was from Ireland; which made the climb especially meaningful to her.

Front cover photo taken by Katie Keefe.

Back cover photo taken by Jim Zemanick.

Contents

Dedication

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1     Blue Flip-Flop

Chapter 2     Blue Spoon

Chapter 3     Blue Lighter

Chapter 4     Blue Pen

Chapter 5     Blue Broken Glass

Chapter 6     Blue Earplugs

Chapter 7     Blue Odds / Blue Mountain Lake

Chapter 8     Blue Dru / Blue Glove

Chapter 9     Blue Coat

Chapter 10   Blue Ends

A Blessing Before You Go

Questions for Personal Growth or Small Group Discussion

About the Author

Notes

Dedication

A flip flop on the side of a roadDescription automatically generated

Figure 1 My family, my treasure

Top left: John & Patty / Top right: Lindsey & Ryan / Bottom left: Dominic, Sophie & Rachel / Bottom right: Karissa

I am so grateful for my family. John, you are a humble, loving man with profound wisdom and integrity. I am so blessed to be your bride. Lindsey, Ryan, Dominic, Sophie, Rachel and Karissa. I don’t know why God found me worthy to have such amazing children, but He did. Thanks be to God, He did! I love you all.

Mom and Dad, the love you have given us over the years and sacrifices you’ve made for our great big Zemanick family, did not go unnoticed. You have given our family a strong foundation. You have been there for us in good times and bad. This story would have been pretty boring if it weren’t for you two. Love you both.

To my siblings… Mary, Jim, Louise, John and Amy. While you are my brothers and sisters, you are my best friends. What a gift I have in you and your beautiful families too. I love you all and cherish the memories we share.

To my other besties in life. Mary Ethel Eckard, Amy O’Brien and Jade Cohen. I am so blessed to have such dear friends. Time and distance changes nothing; we always pick up right where we left off. Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement, my beloved friends.

Nancy Williams (Mom)… Jesus knocked at your heart’s door and you opened it. You are a woman of great faith and courage; a trailblazer pointing the way of Truth for others to follow. You are precious to Him and to our family.

Luna, you are my little sunshine. Being your Mimi has given me so much joy. This book is especially for you and for ALL of my future grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and generations to come… Times are getting harder and being a person of faith more challenging. When hard days come, and they will come, know that you are not alone. You have a huge family here on earth and in heaven, praying for you and cheering you on. Press on. God is with you. Keep the faith. You are loved.

A flip flop on the side of a roadDescription automatically generated

Figure 2 Hugs from Mimi

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

Foreword

Your heart, soul, mind, and spirit are about to be lifted. Not by what I’m writing in the Foreword, but by the book you are holding in your hands and the stories contained within. Stories about the goodness of God recounted in such a way that you, too, will stand amazed at His wonders and workings. Prepare yourself to see how He pursues and interacts with His most prized possession – you! By the time you are finished with this book, you will understand my total admiration and spiritual infatuation with this amazing, restored, and inspirational woman of God. Not because of who she is, but because of who He is within her. She truly reflects the light of Jesus Christ. Allow me to introduce you to this author who God used to change my life.

In 1998, I wasn’t looking for a friend. I had one, and I thought my life was at capacity. Little did I know that God was about to capture me with one of the greatest arrows in His quiver. One day, she came into the office, professionally dressed in a business suit, wearing high heels, hair flowing like a L’oreal shampoo commercial, and a big smile on her face. Clearly, she didn’t get the memo that new employees need not bring up the dress code of a corporate office.

After being introduced, Patty was assigned the desk next to mine. When she turned to look at me, I smiled and, matter-of-factly, said, If you ever dress like that again to come into this office, you are so fired. Not that I had the authority to hire or fire anyone. I was an executive secretary and so was she. Seeing through my words, we both laughed. It seems I did need another friend.

Soon after, Patty came into the office excited to tell me about something that happened on her way to work. I don’t remember what the story was about, but I do remember the main character was God. I rolled my eyes. I hadn’t met anyone, ever, who told stories about God that made Him so present, approachable, and involved in our everyday life. With every God-story that rolled off her tongue, I rolled my eyes.

Over time, as Patty’s stories continued, my eyes came into focus as my heart hungered for more of God. I wanted what she had. She saw God in everything; in nature, in people, in everyday circumstances. Her storytelling awakened my desire to know Him as she did. I joined a Bible study she was leading. I accepted her invitation to a women’s retreat. I attended prayer gatherings