Come and Go with Me

Introduction “Come and go with me to my Father’s house,” was the raucous chorus we shouted through children’s chapel every Friday night at the little community church. There were numberless verses, each one ending with, “There is joy, joy, joy!” Growing up in a home where Bible reading and prayer began and ended each day, it’s no wonder that I gravitated to ministry early on. When my brother Jack was four and I was six, we sang our first duet in church. My Sunday school teacher invited me to be her assistant when I was in primary school, and I eventually taught Bible studies and wrote short devotionals. I married early and had two beautiful children, but, unexpectedly, our family fell apart, and I was on my own for the first time. It was difficult, as any single parent will testify, but the hardships merely served as nudges for spiritual growth. The children and I learned to depend on the Lord and to accept the provisions he often sent as surprises of love. Fourteen years after divorce, with myriad challenges and victories, I married Peter, a widower who would bring healing and inspiration to the three of us. Teaching and music were givens, but ministry expanded when my husband and I had the privilege of caring for two grandsons, a teenager, and a toddler. Peter, a judge, touched lives daily as he dispensed mercy and law, with stories of God’s grace often flowing from his courtroom. Blessed with many rich experiences of God’s faithfulness, I was asked to write a blog encouraging readers to continue pursuing deeper faith in a loving Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. The blog inspired this collection. In Come and Go with Me, friends and I share real-life happenings along with excerpts from literature about a God who is always there. Years of mission vocation are noted in each section, while other tales are part of daily plodding. Included are spaces for reflection with prompts for walking Christ’s narrow way. The stories here are organized by guideposts, starting with section 1, The Call, to provide a map of sorts beginning with the manner by which we discern God’s direction for us personally. Section 2, Getting Ready, suggests steps in spiritual growth that help us move away from transactional religion toward a growing personal relationship with God. It’s quite likely that most of us will have experienced times of Stumbling Around (section 3) in pursuit of sainthood. Through these pages, we’ll see that bumps are just part of the journey and are no reason to turn back. Ideally, Fellow Travelers (section 4) walk with us when the road is rough and stay around to sing when we celebrate. There are times, however, when we feel alone on the road and can barely put one foot ahead of the other. That’s when we especially appreciate the unseen presence of our faithful Lord who sustains us to our destination. While On the Road (section 5), God moves among us calling us to himself, and in responding, we find ourselves. In listening, we discover our gifting, and in obedience, we gain wisdom. There is so much more as we walk together with the Father and each other. Come and go with me. There is joy, joy, joy!