Gunshot to the head, saying no, young example, &c.

How would you illustrate, say, for a magazine cover, the theme of the Christian name? I went with this idea for our Brazilian mag, delivered today to the printer.

• Sometimes I dream of a Forthright print magazine, with news articles pulled from BNc, devotionals, and articles from our online zine. Then on days like today, after wrapping up the Brazilian mag, I give thanks we don’t have one in English.

• Several challenges lately on some of our websites. I don’t consider it down-time, just part of the process to keep everything working smoothly. But Murphy’s Law guarantees that it all happens at once.

• Say a prayer for the family of the nephew of our neighbors, who happen to be also The Maiden’s (former) music school teacher. The young man was killed by a gunshot to the head, in front of his house, apparently, by robbers. He was 26, engaged to be married.

• In years past, and some this year, I’ve traveled across the country to speak. A lot. My dream is to say no to all travel, stay in my little region of the country (with some 3 million people) to write, publish, and evangelize around here. Can I start today, with future invitations? Can I?

• Last Sunday, a young dating couple showed up at church. They’re from the greater São Paulo area, were up in the mountains on vacation with the girl’s mother, who’s not a Christian. The two of them, in their early 20s, made the hour trip to come to church. They’ve been Christians for three or four years. What an example!

• Since the church’s mission is to teach the gospel to the whole world, which scenario should we be seeing: churches lined up to find missionaries to support, or missionaries scrambling and crisscrossing the country trying to find support? You know which one we see. What does that say about us?