Tim defiantly punched the “off” button and flippantly tossed the remote control onto the coffee table. Arms folded across his chest, he scowled at the blank television screen. “Worthless,” he grunted to himself. The front door swung open and Lynn walked in. Their eyes locked and she lingered in the doorway for a moment. “I am sick and tired of this country’s sorry excuse for media,” he spouted.
“So happy to see you, too, sweetheart,” she responded without skipping a beat. She headed through the living room and into the kitchen, setting her bags on the counter.
“The propaganda of the news media disgusts me to my core. This government’s administration is just unbelievable. I know it shouldn’t make me this angry, but it does and I can’t help it. Gets worse all the time.” A moment later Lynn reappeared in the doorway. “Sweetheart, you can help it, though.” Her gaze penetrated his dejection. “You can pray.”
“I do, pray, Lynn,” he scoffed. “That’s beside the point,” frustration spilling out of each over-emphasized syllable.
Lynn walked over, squaring up with him. “Prayer is never besides. It is the very point itself. Do something with all that anger. Channel it upward. The Lord uses everything.”
Trying to not roll his eyes in complete exasperation, he reluctantly managed to get out a patronizing mumble, “Fine. I’ll pray.”
****
“Wouldn’t it be cool to ride a horse across America?” Tim blurted out. He shifted in his seat, somewhat nervous, yet trying to keep things casual with his fingers loosely guiding the steering wheel as the truck roared down the highway.
The young horseshoer looked over at him from the passenger seat, a gleam in his eye. “Oh yeah, that’s been a dream of mine forever,” Leif said.
Tim frowned, perplexed. It’s never really been a dream of mine, he thought. So why can I not get this picture out of my head? There he was, clear as day, sitting atop a tall Stallion, pack gear bulging over each side, sweat dripping off his brow as he trotted across the Midwestern plains toward the sunrise.
He shifted in his seat, unsettled by the certainty of his visionary passenger that seemed to match the vision to a tee. It had been several long weeks, like an unrelenting short film on constant replay in his mind’s eye. Unsure of what it meant, Tim pressed past the peculiarity of the vision to take up his questions with God. If the movie wasn’t going to shut off, maybe God had something to say about it.
Okay, Lord. What is this? I’m listening.
Ever since he had begun seriously praying through his anger issues toward the government and the media, a subtle shift had taken place in his heart. Especially since Lynn had joined him in the prayers. Over the next few weeks Tim began unloading the pieces of his vision on Leif in an effort to sort through the craziness and seek another viewpoint on what it could all mean. The two mused together about the thrills of a hypothetical cross-country horseback journey.
“Here’s how we’ll know whether this is of God or not,” Tim said one day while passing Leif a new horseshoe.
Leif reached for it without looking, “How’s that?”
“We’ll go tell Lynn. And she will either say, ‘You’re crazy,’ or she will say, ‘It’s a good idea.’ One of the two.” Leif smirked as he positioned the horseshoe nail. Tim chuckled at the sound of his own words. “It’s a good idea”? he thought. Right. Lynn hates camping even one night outside, and her struggle of anxiety with the horses has been off and on for the last few years. This will be the shortest conversation we have ever had.
Days later, Tim awoke with a quiet urgency on his heart. Knowing this was the day, he prayed for clarity and confirmation throughout the hours leading up to seeing Lynn in the evening. With dinner on the table and ready to eat, Lynn walked through the door to find Tim and Leif sitting at the dining room table. Tim’s heart rate picked up slightly.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted her. She gave the two of them a tired smile, closed the door and headed down the hall to the bedroom. Returning a few moments later, Tim looked up at her and the two shared a glance before he solemnly said, “Can you sit down for a minute? I’ve got something I need to tell you.”
Nervous alertness awakened her tired eyes and she quickly replied, “What happened? Who got hurt?”
“No one, sweetheart,” Tim assured her. He shifted in the wooden chair and faced his body towards her.
She poised herself. “What do I need to sit down for?”
“Just sit down, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about. God has put something on my heart,” he said calmly.
She rested her hands on the back of an empty chair. “I’ll stand right here.”
Leif sat across from Tim, patiently observing the exchange. Tim exchanged a quick glance with him and cleared his throat. Looking back up at Lynn, Tim hesitated before revealing the weighty news.
“I believe the Lord has called us into ministry full-time.”
Lynn’s serious expression hardly changed. “Praise the Lord,” she calmly responded.
“No, you really need to sit down because it’s just a little bit more complicated than that.”
She remained silent, unaffected. They stared at one another a moment longer before Tim continued. “I believe God is leading us to go from the west coast to the east coast, on horseback, praying for this nation, the military, and the leaders in our government. This is really going to sound crazy, but we’re going to have to sell everything we have—everything we have acquired in a lifetime, and if we have anything left we’re supposed to give it away.”
The news tumbled out of his mouth and hung in the balance like an unresolved chord near the end of a symphony. Heart pounding in his chest, Tim braced himself for her inevitable retort. Her eyes never left his.
Without any hesitation she calmly responded, “I think that’s a great idea.” Lynn turned and exited the dining room into the kitchen.
Stunned, the two men slowly looked at each other, mouths hanging open in shock.
Tim stood from the table and followed after her to the counter. “Did you even hear what I said?” shock and confusion evident in his tone.
Lynn opened the cupboard and pulled out the salt and pepper, glancing over at him, “Yeah, I heard you. I think it’s a good idea.” The two of them stood still for several moments, the reality of the moment settling into their hearts. Thoughts reeling, minds racing, a spark flew in their spirits. Barely recognizing the gravity of such a moment, smiles of awe and wonder slowly crept onto their faces.
Perhaps this was God after all.
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