Snapshots of God’s Caring Presence: Heartwarming and Inspirational Short Stories

Raymond J. Golarz

Apr 2024 · AuthorHouse

About this ebook

With an array of stories the author affirms that throughout our lives God is there. Sometimes He is there simply enjoying with us the gifts and treasures He has provided. And at other times He is there in our sad and tragic moments, sitting quietly at our side. This book, Snapshots of God’s Caring Presence is a collection of this author’s true and favorite short stories revealing in a multitude of ways God’s caring presence. As you read, you will sit with a barefoot little girl playing joyfully with God as they enjoy the little tadpoles in her long ago pond. In another story you will watch Jose, with God’s guidance, save the life of this book’s author. Still, further as you read, you will observe the women in a poverty neighborhood, fashion and sew little Catherine’s first dress and coat—clothing her mother could never afford. You will listen to the old saw sharpener as he relates God’s wisdom to the neighborhood children sitting with God in the grass near his feet. You will feel the biting, winter-cold wind as along with neighborhood youth you will help put into gunny sacks coal collected from the railroad tracks—coal that will provide heat for the homes of their neighbors. You will savor the joy of God’s work as you sit later with them enjoying coffee around a pot-bellied-stove. Finally, some stories will take you to the edge of our reality. Was God really there? Did I dream it? The stories of the book will flow to and around you, and you will feel God’s caring presence page after page. As noted in the book’s preface, you may not want to read too quickly for every story is intended to provide its own unique flavor.

About the author

Raymond J Golarz holds his B.A. and B.S. degrees from St. Joseph’s College in Indiana. In addition he received his M.S. and Ed.D. Degrees from Indiana University. He taught as a middle school and high school teacher and then served as the Director of Child Welfare Services supervising delinquency prevention and intervention programs and working with delinquent gangs and directing drug intervention programs. At the college level, he taught an array of psychology courses at St. Joseph’s college, Purdue Calumet, Indiana University Northwest and City College in Seattle. For ten years he taught Psychology for law enforcement officers near Chicago to hundreds of law enforcement officers. He has served as an assistant superintendent and superintendent of schools and has keynoted conferences in virtually every Canadian Province as well as almost every state in the United States. Currently, Ray does work as a newspaper columnist featured in Yahoo news, USA Today and the Bloomington Herald Times while Marion continues work as a content editor. With Marion his wife of 56 years he has co-authored The Power of Participation, Sweet Land of Liberty, and the Problem Isn’t Teachers. In addition, he has co-authored Restructuring Schools for Excellence through Teacher Empowerment and is the author of On My Way Home I Bumped into God. Finally, his earlier writings include Yellow Jacket Football in Hard Times and Good and a companion book When the Yellow Jackets Played, two books focusing on the strengths of the early immigrants who came to America. He and Marion have six children: Tanya Scherschel, Michael Golarz, Scott Golarz, Jocelyn Morris, Daniel Golarz and Thomas John Golarz and they presently have eleven grandchildren. They reside in Bloomington, Indiana with their calico cat Nola and their Boxer dog Cooper. All of his life Ray has enjoyed sketching, oil painting, and carpentry. The final enjoyment of carpentry he considers a gift from his father and grandfathers. As a consequence of his keynoting he has been given many special gifts. His most prized possession is the White Buffalo Indian Robe given to him after keynoting the National Native American School Boards Convention. He can be contacted at their email address [e-mail]

Raymond J Golarz holds his B.A. and B.S. degrees from St. Joseph’s College in Indiana. In addition he received his M.S. and Ed.D. Degrees from Indiana University. He taught as a middle school and high school teacher and then served as the Director of Child Welfare Services supervising delinquency prevention and intervention programs and working with delinquent gangs and directing drug intervention programs. At the college level, he taught an array of psychology courses at St. Joseph’s college, Purdue Calumet, Indiana University Northwest and City College in Seattle. For ten years he taught Psychology for law enforcement officers near Chicago to hundreds of law enforcement officers. He has served as an assistant superintendent and superintendent of schools and has keynoted conferences in virtually every Canadian Province as well as almost every state in the United States. Currently, Ray does work as a newspaper columnist featured in Yahoo news, USA Today and the Bloomington Herald Times while Marion continues work as a content editor. With Marion his wife of 56 years he has co-authored The Power of Participation, Sweet Land of Liberty, and the Problem Isn’t Teachers. In addition, he has co-authored Restructuring Schools for Excellence through Teacher Empowerment and is the author of On My Way Home I Bumped into God. Finally, his earlier writings include Yellow Jacket Football in Hard Times and Good and a companion book When the Yellow Jackets Played, two books focusing on the strengths of the early immigrants who came to America. He and Marion have six children: Tanya Scherschel, Michael Golarz, Scott Golarz, Jocelyn Morris, Daniel Golarz and Thomas John Golarz and they presently have eleven grandchildren. They reside in Bloomington, Indiana with their calico cat Nola and their Boxer dog Cooper. All of his life Ray has enjoyed sketching, oil painting, and carpentry. The final enjoyment of carpentry he considers a gift from his father and grandfathers. As a consequence of his keynoting he has been given many special gifts. His most prized possession is the White Buffalo Indian Robe given to him after keynoting the National Native American School Boards Convention. He can be contacted at their email address [e-mail]