The Last Big Push of the Year

This morning Marlene and I are driving to Chicago to begin our last major trip of the year. On Friday night we have a Keep Believing board meeting in Chicago, then we drive to Westboro, Wisconsin where I’m speaking on Sunday morning at Woodland Community Church and then taking part in Pastor Grant Brown’s ordination service on Sunday night. Monday-Wednesday I’m speaking at a pastors’ conference at Camp Forest Springs. Then it’s back to Chicago for two days for some meetings, then on to Montreal for a conference called Missions en fete. Then back to Chicago where we pick up our car and drive back to Tupelo. During that time I’m preaching twelve times, Marlene speaks once, and we have various meetings along the way.

Chicago,
Normal, IL
Durango, CO
Thailand
Thailand
Los Angeles
Reno, NV
Schroon Lake, NY
Grand Ledge, MI
Westboro, WI
Montreal, Canada

Marlene was with me for all but the trips to Los Angeles and Grand Ledge. I haven’t figured out the miles we have traveled, but the trip to Thailand alone accounted for something like 20,000 frequent flier miles. We’ve racked up enough miles so that it’s easy to get an exit row, which makes a difference on those long trips. Several time lately people have asked how we like living in Tupelo. The answer is, “We haven’t been here enough to know what it’s like.” Several times we’ve come home long enough to unpack, repack, and hit the road again.

Traveling isn’t particularly glamorous. I used to think that it was but that was a long time ago, when I was younger and didn’t travel very much. The act of travel makes me tired, which is why I yawned as I typed this sentence. While we’re grateful for the amazing doors God has opened, we are looking forward to being back in Tupelo for an extended period of time. Lots of projects that need our attention have been set aside during the last two months. Plus I have a book manuscript on Samson that needs my attention. And we have some friends who are coming to visit for Thanksgiving.

So this morning we’re starting our final push of the year. We are grateful to everyone who has been praying for us. We couldn’t do this without your help. More and more we see that “our name is our mission.” We want to help people around the world keep believing in Jesus. That’s what our ministry is all about, and that’s why we do what we do. We’re glad to go, and we will be even happier to be back home around midnight twelve days from now.