I’m not a patient man, so waiting for anything bothers me.

I know patience is a positive trait. It’s listed among the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. I’m grateful for the patience others show me when I’m running a few minutes late or fall short of their expectations. And
I delight in the reality that God shows me, and all of us, unlimited patience.

I grew up seeing patience in my dad, so I know what it looks like. When he visited last December, he spent 74 minutes tuning two dulcimers that he had previously made for us (above).

When I was young, our family went fishing. My dad would put a hook on the line, bait it, cast and wait. Sometimes, he’d watch a bobber. Or listen for a small bell attached to the pole. Or feel for a bite with a finger gently on the line. And wait.

Meanwhile, I’d have cast, reeled, cast, reeled, cast, reeled and given up. I’d take a walk, check the cooler for food, and most likely whine about being bored. Who knows how many fish my dad could have caught had I not been roiling the water with repeated casts or making noise and moving around on the shore.

Now, I need to force myself to be patient. As we mentioned in our last letter, my work is changing. Two weeks ago, I went to Virginia to oversee the printing of the last issue of Worldwide Challenge. I even got out to take a short hike on a section of the Appalachian Trail.

Since then, the patience I’ve needed is not about stillness. I’ve kept busy finishing some magazine business, presiding at an Evangelistic Press Association board meeting and editing for our website, Cru.org. What I’m waiting for now is the chance to start working on the items that will replace the magazine, including a printed newsletter and some email and online publications.

But we haven’t begun that work yet. In the meantime, we wait. Would you pray for our whole team as we continue to make this adjustment? Pray for patience as we wait for details. Then please pray for clarity and wisdom as we begin to work on these new communication tools.

Thank you for your prayers and partnership with us.