Radically trusting in God

Sep 04, 2014

By Louise McNulty
One of the most repeated phrases in the Bible is, “Be not afraid.” It is, of course, a spur to fearful humanity to trust in God and his goodness, mercy and benevolence in overseeing their lives.

Generally people fear the same things: the loss of health, happiness, financial security, loved ones. The themes are the same, the details different.

It is hard to trust an unseen God who does not speak to his people using words. Yet, there are people, such as author Susan K. Rowland, who are examples of what it means to go ahead, with trepidation, but not outright fear, because they believe in the biblical exhortation to put their trust in God who promises he will lead them.

Rowland learned early on that she wanted to serve the church and be a writer.

A native of New York, she was married and living in Ohio when she got her theology degree. She worked at a Catholic newspaper in Youngstown. The last of her three sons had gone off to college. Things seemed to be falling into place when her husband asked for a divorce in 2000.

Devastated by this unexpected turn of events, Rowland spiraled into depression. She turned to prayer, spiritual guidance, books and an abiding faith that God would guide her if she followed. She sorted through her belongings, packed up her things and moved to Arizona, where her mother lived.

During the process, and with more faith than finances or employment prospects, she developed an idea for a book, based in large part on her experiences of downsizing for a move across country.

She sold the idea to St. Anthony Messenger Press (now Franciscan Media), which published her first book, “Make Room for God: Clearing out the Clutter” in 2007 – an eminently readable book about clearing out physical and spiritual clutter in one’s life.

She followed this with a journal on the same subject, brought out by Tau Publishing, and then wrote another book called “Healing After Divorce: Hope for Catholics” in 2010.

While her finances were at times precarious, she stuck with God, bravely trying to overcome fears about her future and writing, on a spiritual level, about dealing with problems common in today's society. One review of the book on divorce noted that it was so down to earth that it proved to be an excellent resource, not only for those involved in a divorce but “for those currently in marriages, whether they be strong or faltering.”

When using her experiences, Rowland was not reluctant about describing her less attractive reactions to the process, which gave the book immense appeal.

But perhaps the most astounding part of Rowland's dependence on God is the fact that in late 2011, she was calling her friends and telling them about an unbelievable thing that had happened to her. While preparing to give a retreat, she felt overwhelmed by the subject she was writing about and couldn’t stop writing.

She felt compelled to publish it quickly and went to the publishing house to work with an artist who was designing the cover: a woman in running gear hanging by her fingernails off the side of a cliff. The illustration had God’s hands extended below her ready to catch her in case of a slip.

A slim volume at only 70 pages, the book was entitled “Radical Trust in God.” While inspiring for readers, it turned out to be fateful that Rowland had researched and written it. A month after the book came out, she was diagnosed with cancer and in an email to friends, she wrote, “Guess it’s time for some of that radical trust I wrote about in my last book!”

After a two-year battle, she died in 2013.

It is likely that Rowland began her eternal journey without fear, trusting in the one who led her.