ixthusAgitator

About a month ago, the radio in my car quit working. The power comes on, but there’s no sound. The tape deck, the CD player…nothing. All I hear is the whir of the antenna motor that has never retracted the antenna and feedback through the speakers from the engine. I was so sad! I had just started listening to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susana Clark and was enjoying it thoroughly. Now I had to cope with the sound of my breathing and spinning rubber on asphalt.

A week later, Angela and I rearranged the furniture in our house to get ready for a party. We moved the couches from the “family room” where the TV was into the living room where nothing was. The living room turned into a very cozy spot, ideal for hanging out and conversation. The family room is an ideal play area for the kids. But there is nothing to collapse into in front of the TV. Since then I have gone from watching at least one movie a night to about one movie a week.

To be sure, quitting TV and music cold turkey like that gave me the DT’s. But as it turns out, God has used that space to reawaken me—I think, dream, and pray again. Angela and I are talking and dreaming together. We’ve finally accepted spiritual responsibility for our kids, reading the bible together and teaching them how to love God and each other. And God has given me a publishing venture to create. He took away my radio and TV so that I could 1) care for my family and 2) work with him—and believe me, he was already moving, and fast.

I feel such unmerited favor right now, I can’t describe it. My kids are doing great, I couldn’t be happier at NavPress, my wife’s dreams are becoming a reality, our marriage is strengthening, and I’m on this amazing ride with the International Arts Movement.

As my black brethren say, “Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!”

As my sister Pete now says in her Orthodox way, “Glory to thee, O God, glory to thee.”

Amen.