It's good to be back

Well, we made it back safely from Tennessee. My wife's father is out of the hospital, and her mother continues to recover as well. My father is at home after being hit by a truck, and he's still dealing with several issues.

It's fascinating how much has happened since we moved to Virginia. In the past ten weeks all three of our surviving parents have been hospitalized for emergency surgery: Carolyn's mother for complications from cancer surgery, her father for bowel adhesions, and my father for a broken ankle. It's enough to make us wonder if some force doesn't want us working with the church in Lexington.

I could be wrong. The devil may have had nothing directly to do with any of these misfortunes. But it's certainly a reminder of the battle all Christians face: "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). The fact is that spiritual evil does have temporary control of this world, and there is a war going on for souls. That's why we need to remember to put on our armor.