On July 4, we celebrated Independence Day as a family. It felt appropriate as Michael is independent from us in almost every way. Bethany gets closer to that stage every day. Anne Marie and I are still adjusting but getting used to the empty nest.

Michael left Madison, Wisc., on Friday evening, July 1. His three-leg flight brought him to Orlando at 3 a.m., and we happily greeted him at the airport. He enjoys his job at a software company, and is nearly done with his training.

His flight home was the first that we didn’t buy for him, and he took some pride in that. He’s truly launched. We look plan to see him in August, when we go to a conference in Minneapolis. Our flights will stop in nearby Milwaukee, so we plan to visit him then.

Bethany spent a week with us, ending July 5. She continues to enjoy Nashville and her summer internship, studying how churches address the environment and care for creation. She plans to finish college in December, stay in Nashville, and then attend graduate school. We hope her internship turns into a part-time job this fall.

She still has Lyme disease and related problems. She also sprained her foot and is currently using crutches part of the time. Unfortunately, she just had an auto accident. She and the other driver are okay, and we are offering all the help we can from 500 miles away.

Anne Marie and I continue our communications work for different parts of Cru. Anne Marie’s upgrade of the Prayer for Prodigals website, which we mentioned in our last letter, is nearly done. Redesigning a website with many years of past content is complex. I’m working on a special issue of Worldwide Challenge magazine.

As you think of us in the next few weeks, would you pray:

• for Michael to continue settling into life in Wisconsin and to choose to find a church.
• for Bethany to find health related to Lyme disease, her foot, and minor back and neck pain after the accident. Pray, too, for wisdom as we help her repair or replace the car.
• for Anne Marie as she continues redesigning the Prayer for Prodigals website and for me as our communications team plans for technological changes.

Thank you for playing a role in the lives of our family and in our ministry.