Sometimes just pulling out of your own driveway can be the hardest part of a trip!

Over the years we have learned many traveling lessons like “Always take advantage of every rest stop, you never know when you’ll get stuck in a traffic jam!” and “There is always a Wal-Mart on the other end –  if you’ve forgotten something – they probably sell it!”or “You’ll never be ‘ready’ for a trip, sometimes you’ve just got to go anyway”

As we get ready to leave for our drive to Colorado and U.S. Staff Conference (Cru17), I am having to draw on all of these.  We know that there are lessons to be learned, connections to be made, and fun to be had at this bi-annual gathering of about 6000 Cru staff, but it is hard to make it out the door this year.  We feel VERY unsettled about our recent car accident, not sure of how things will settle out with insurance and repairs.  Eric’s Dad, Wilson, is in the hospital again – this time with a pulmonary embolism that has further delayed his colon cancer treatments.  This will be our very first conference without Charissa along, she is staying home to work and then moving back to College of the Ozarks not long after our return.  All in all, we are feeling distracted, and a bit frazzled but one way or another, when tomorrow comes, we will back out of our driveway and head Northwest!

We look forward to reporting back about the amazing ways that God uses Cru17 in each of our lives, but in the mean time, could you pray with us that we are able to focus, and be ‘present’ for what is in store?