Well, I'm in Florida again after a month back home on the farm in Ohio. It was a packed trip, with lots of time with new and old friends, a couple of conferences (one rural, one in-city), and a number of speaking engagements, interviews, events, etc. There's a lot of interest in purity no matter where we go, and because this was my home setting, there a number of people interested in coming to see what we were doing.

One particular event was very moving and meaningful to me. At the Fort Wayne conference, I had friends offer to help out who were college friends, old band members, fellow missionaries and small group members from way back, a radio host, an editor, house mates and new Florida friends - what a diverse group of people! I was not only blessed by their help, but by seeing the amazing people we have become, and having the privilege of being a part of that group.

Secondarily, these great friends taught me an important lesson.

We learned as we approached conference time that numbers were very low, and I was sitting in that place where I had to decide whether to go forward or cancel. I thought that God had opened a number of doors that no one else could have and wanted to go forward, but didn't want to tank financially, so I called my friends and said, "What do you think?" They all pooh-poohed my doubts and said, "This is what you're supposed to do. We're doing it!" (One friend wasn't there when I called - I left a message and called her back later. When I mentioned the message, she actually said, "Oh, that silly message!" Can you believe the nerve?? (-=)

So we did the conference for a group of about 30. But my friends backed me entirely, because they were not putting their faith in me. Instead, we were all putting our faith in God. No one was counting on me to fail or succeed. They were counting on God to be faithful as we were obedient to whatever he asked of us.

This was a very great freedom - to be loved so dearly and to know that no one was putting pressure on me to perform. Everyone should have friends like that.

Going back to the farm is always healing for me. Only farm kids understand how connected you become to the land that your family grows up on and works together on. And the grass is so much nicer to walk on. (Our whole family goes on about "pointy" Florida "grass.")

If you saw the news about the plane crash in Sanford, that awful accident was in the subdivision just next door to the one we used to live in. I just ache for those families. What must it be like? And I remember Vashti being so nervous because of the flight path overhead - was she sensing something ahead? Who knows? But please be praying for those folks. We were actually looking at houses in that division, and now I'm so grateful to live here - to be safe - to have been safe in Ohio -

But you know, there isn't anywhere safe, except the hand of God. We have to make Him our dwelling place. Anything can happen anytime, but we are safe under His wings.

I'm glad to be home, and aware that nowhere is really home until I move on from this earth. May we all live each moment in that knowledge and hope. Have a wonderful summer!