Those who have set their hearts on pilgrimage

This past week my son, John, and his wife, Jude stayed with me in my little apartment tucked away in Spruce Circle in Princeton. They had come east from their home in LA to take part in the 2008 Westerly Road Church Missions Conference. Westerly is the church John grew up in and they support their work in the Pecco Union area of Los Angeles where they work mostly but not exclusively with Spanish young people. Their work is very practical-helping teens stay out or get out of the drug/gang culture by teaching alternative life options and modeling and sharing out of their own spiritual and practical lives, helping young people learn skills to earn a living and/or go to college and establish healthy relationships and families.
It makes me joyful to spend time with them and others who are living close to God and channeling their Christianity into various cultural frameworks that resonate with peoples lives and make a difference, the difference that ultimately is the fruit of the gospel. They say they look to see what God is doing and then find a way to join Him.
God used the conference to refocus my life. By nature I'm a worrier and the more I focus on trouble the larger it looms until I sink my own little ship of faith. This week by the grace of having been distracted, my eyes are turned back to the Lord and my heart is trusting and set for the journey.