from The Fragrance of Paradise...

            For months I watched myself deteriorate. How sick am I going to get? One sleepless night I cried out to God for his healing touch. Quietly and gently, God's Holy Spirit responded to my desperate cry. My mind was instantly quieted as if I had come upon an unexpected stop sign. I began to inhale, slowly filling my lungs with air. The memory of some of my favorite fragrances came to mind. What and how does fragrance have to do with the comforting presence of God? Despite my inability to answer those questions, I faithfully followed God's admonition to breathe in the stillness of his peace. Hope began to replace my fears and uncertainties. Quiet confidence and trust in God led me into a place of peace and strength that enabled me to endure what was to come in just a few short months. In mid January of 2004, I fell into a coma as a result of liver failure. Upon awakening, I received a miraculous gift of life in the form of a liver transplant. During my recovery, I began searching the scriptures and writing so that the powerful message shared with me by God's Holy Spirit might also lead you to a place where you find yourself resting in the fragrance of paradise.

Stephen Hoy is a
musician, teacher,
gardener, and
landscape designer.
He was raised in
Pennsylvania and
served as a
trombonist in the
United States Air Force.

On January 23, 2004,
he was gifted with a
new lease on life in
the form of a liver
transplant.  He is an
advocate for organ
donation.  Stephen
and his wife Rita
currently reside in
Warner Robins, Georgia.