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Seed Sowing on my PA Trip

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Hello Friends,

“I want to let you know, I am going to be praying for you,” a young man quietly told me after my slide presentation in his middle school in West Virginia.

At each of my school presentations I say, “If you have interest in reading any of these books that have impacted my peacemaking, let me know and I will give them to your library.” Interestingly, the middle school students always mention a few books on my list.

The most requested book, both in Philadelphia and in West Virginia, was Real Sex by Lauren Winner. A most honest and healthy look at sex. It brings to light the violence that is happening regarding sex that we never talk about or deal with. I wish I had read this book when I was a teen.

In Philadelphia In one class I had 90 minutes and only 4 hours’ sleep beforehand, and I was wearing out, when the students brought up questions about what Quakers believe. Fortunately my Nephew Dave Fitz who is a Quaker and who is much more articulate than I am was along. It resulted in some very deep sharing about faith. Dave seemed a Godsend similar to the Bible account of Aaron the man skilled with words,

In Indianapolis, I shared slides in Sunday School. Afterwards the pastor insisted I share during worship because he sensed I had more important things to share than he had prepared in his sermon.

The trip was a special time to connect with my family after 4 years; I had many very special conversations with family and other friends. Two that stand out were sharing our present faith journey, and about a new marriage counseling program in my home church.

Each of my 27 slide presentations went really well in this trip to PA and back. 14 were in schools. A special thanks to each of you who helped set them up.

Pray for:

1. Pray and lobby the Obama administration to chose to seek diplomacy (the way of Jesus) and not expend more troops (the way of the devil) to solve international conflicts.

2.Pray that the seeds sown on this trip will sprout, grow and flourish.

Peace to you, Jim


Here amongst this Christian Missionary Alliance church of young adults in Indianapolis I sensed many were doing serious searching in their faith journey. One sister said “I just can’t understand all the war and killing in the Old Testament.” I answered, “I am not a theologian, but one thing I am convinced of God is always love and not hate.”
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