(Tap to see tie-in to revival message from Thursday)

This beautiful picture from Theodore Roosevelt National Park reminds me that three more days of driving will get us back from Fort Dodge, Iowa to the community where God has planted us at Tabernacle Baptist Church.

I find it lovely that God ended this revival week with the teaching on family and community last night, even as the Tab community blessed the evangelist and his family on their way to outrun the incoming storm.

I heard from the sermon the immense value of community, especially our families, to our decision(s) to walk with Christ. While each of us are individually responsible to be saved and to grow in Him, our families (and our communities) can certainly influence us toward walking with Him or against it. I liked the balance with which this was taught.

We have seen many communities in the Western U.S. where Scripture verses are on billboards or other signage or where challenges are posted to follow Jesus. We have seen at least three states with pro-life messages regularly posted. "Pro-mother, Pro-child, Pro-life" was one billboard we saw a lot.

Now we return to our community where we need each other just to stop the drift toward thinking a 20% rate of LGBTQ identification among Generation Z is normal and healthy. That Jesus' definition of marriage was narrow. That it is a blessing to be childless.

We certainly have our challenges but God knew that when He called us all to the East Coast.

I am so glad we had this revival week to build us up in the faith.