I miss my husband! I sit at his desk and re-read his texts and smell his pillow (and eat his chocolate, but don’t tell him that!). I start to go to his office to tell him some insignificant thing and remember that he is not there. He is biking in Mississippi or Alabama or somewhere much warmer than here. I want to see the expression on his face when he tells me stories from the road. I want to see the red of his sunburned nose and how his hair goes in every direction when he takes off his helmet. I want to read the joy in his eyes when he talks about how God has brought this team together and how each member made an impact on his soul. It isn’t even the halfway mark. I am pathetic!

But I am inordinately proud of him. Out of doubt and worry and anxiety has come trust and strength and confidence. He just keeps going and going and going. He inspires me. The whole team inspires me. Just look at this photo. Simply looking at that traffic and how they have to hug the edge of the road because there is no shoulder turns my hair gray. That is not in any way, shape, or form what I want to do EVER. But they do it for mile after mile after mile.

Why? Because the people who have lost everything keep going and going and going. They don’t really have a choice about it. They have to rebuild. They have to reach out. They have to share, be generous, sacrifice, make do—even when they don’t want to. They just need a little help. So my hubby and his new friends are riding the white line. Isn’t it amazing how God uses one to help the other. God is always thinking outside the lines. I love that about Him.

Dear Jesus, thank You for protecting the team. Thank  You for giving them the energy to keep going when they are tired and hurting. Lord, increase their sacrifice into an offering of love beyond anything they can think or imagine. Thank You for giving people like Aaron Smith and Hal Donaldson the vision to think outside the lines and the tools to make those dreams come true. Bless their ministries and continue to use them for Your kingdom. And, please bring Jeff home safe and sound and not too sunburned. Amen!