If God is so powerful and loving, why are so many people sick and dying?  This question invariably exists in the backdrop of the heart-felt prayers of every hurtying child of God.  For the sick and suffering, the question is paramount--how does God decide who lives and who dies?  Who is healed and who is not?  The author, Linda Clark, relates the circumstances surrounding her own serious illness as she discovered answers to these difficult questions.  Linda expounds on the recommendation of the Apostle Paul to find answers by exploring the story of the ancient Israelites: "Now these things happen to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."  The author discusses the similarities between the temptations and trials that the children of Israel went through prior to entering the promised land and the uncanny resemblance to trials God's people are facing today.