On Being An Alien by Mike Dellosso. Guest post with giveaway

I’m an alien. I don’t belong here. This is not my home.

Maybe you think I’m kidding or tapping into some wild corner of my imagination, that thing writer’s do.

Or maybe you think I’ve taken that short trip to Crazy Land. But I’m not joking and I am totally sane (but isn’t that what all insane people will tell you . . . makes you wonder).

Let’s face it, this world is full of hurt and pain and frustration and failure. It’s cursed. People get cancer and Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Murder happens. Tragic accidents steal loved ones. Babies die before they have a chance to live. Pain is real and unavoidable.

I’m glad this isn’t my permanent residence, that I’m just passing through. And daily I have to remind myself that my home is in heaven and my Father waits there for me to return from my journey. Whatever difficulties I experience here, whatever pain and discomfort, whatever suffering . . . it’s only for a time and then will end. None of this will last forever.

I heard someone say once that he can endure anything as long as he knows it has an end. Good words to keep in mind.

Here are 5 truths to keep in mind as we journey through this world:

• God knows what you’re going through and He cares. He does. He loves you so much, more than you could ever love Him back. He wants to hold and protect you. Run to Him.
• God can handle our honesty. Tell Him how you feel, how you hurt, how lonely you are, how every cell in your body screams for rest and relief.
• This world and everything in it is temporary. If we are children of God, all the pain and agony of this world will come to an end. In heaven there is no suffering and there is complete healing from every kind of affliction. Keep a right perspective. There may be suffering here, but it will only be for a season.
• There is beauty in this world. Yes, there is sorrow and hurt, but there is also joy and triumph and awe-inspiring things. Celebrate creation and its beauty; rejoice in the amazing feats of mankind, the goodness that so many people show on a daily basis.
• There are blessings in everything. They may be hard to find but I promise you they’re there. Sometimes you just have to look hard to see them. Then focus on those blessings.

• God can turn any negative into a positive. Ask Him to open your eyes to His fingerprints on whatever situation you find yourself in. He’s there, waiting for your surrender so He can move and bring beauty from ashes.

Mike Dellosso is the author of 5 novels of suspense. His latest, Frantic, just released February 7 and is already getting great reviews. Mike lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and four daughters. He blogs regularly about matters of faith and life at http://www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com/. Keep up to date with what's going on in his world by "liking" his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mikedellosso.

To enter to win a copy of Mike's newest book, Frantic, leave a comment on this blog post and then go to his facebook page (link above) and "like" his facebook page. A winner will be picked two weeks from today on February 22.

You can read my review of Frantic here.

Thanks to Mike for doing the guest blog and giveaway. Check out his other books: The Hunted, Scream, Darlington Woods, and Darkness Follows.