When Grace Hournbuckle Walker talked for the last time with her eight-year-old son, Nathan, he shared his joyful hope and anticipation of his future in heaven with Jesus. That unforgettable exchange inspired Grace to create poetry and letters capturing elements of that conversation and the foundation of trust in God shared by mother and son. Now I Can Think Myself to Mars: A Son’s Final Goodbye, A Mother’s Journal of Renewal collects those writings and bridges the decades between that conversation and the present moment.

As you read these words, you will find yourself retracing a mother’s journey of loss and renewal and reliving a boy’s deep and abiding trust in the grace of God. The first set of poems-Book 1: 1992-1997-traverses the thoughts Nathan shared with his mother and her reflections. Book 2: 1998-2008 draws in the writings of Richard T. Walker, Nathan’s father and Grace’s husband, before returning to Grace’s writings. Book 3: 2007-2013 collects inspirational writings, while Conclusion: 2013-2015 ends with letters Grace wrote to Nathan.

Grace Hournbuckle Walker holds a master’s degree in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia and a post-master’s degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati.  She retired after a thirty-four career as a nurse practitioner and educator, certified in both family practice and family psychiatric and mental health practice .  During her last  twelve years of practice she specialized in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Now widowed, she alternates between a cabin in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico and a home in Cincinnati, OH.

The author is a Christ follower with an interest in encouraging other Christ followers has been writing for many years about the events or observations in her daily life.  Her writings include scriptural references in a format that can be used for personal or small-group devotions.  The author also enjoys photographing her surroundings, mostly the flowers in her garden, which she shares in a inspirational greeting card format.