San Francisco, CA 2004: Hitting the road as a foursome for extended periods provided the Lings remarkable time together, far away from the usual hustle and bustle of life at home. Never knowing what lay around each corner, they just rolled with whatever, even if it placed them in an impromptu, unorthodox dog show.

Excerpts from Trent’s historical letters candidly and anonymously offer flavors and insights from real-time and real-life origins.  Hop aboard these instructions and confessions in mid-stream, below, and see if they help you, too.

From Trent Ling:

“Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  Ephesians 5:15-16.

“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”  1 Timothy 5:8.

“But Ruth replied, ‘don’t urge me to leave you, or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.”  Ruth 1:16.

Siauw shared the Ruth Scripture with me on our honeymoon on the beaches of Cancun, Mexico, the night we were married in 1992.  She truly has made my people her people.  I have similar authority to make her people my people and I have done so.  We are going to Indonesia (despite the instabilities there), not to go on vacation, but to fulfill the Scriptures!  Her people are my people, and to pretend otherwise would make me worse than an unbeliever.  We are going there in faith, not giving way to fear, and looking to minister the truth to those who may be up for it.  God has given us the time and resources to do it and we are required to make the most of this opportunity.

Concerning our scheduled 35-day jaunt across the States upon our return, we have the most marvelous relationships with our kids.  It is truly beyond description.  My kids never wonder if I’m mad at them, or whether they are in trouble, or on my bad side.  These thoughts never even enter their minds!  They are completely confident approaching us about anything (as we are to approach God in Hebrews 4:16).  We are required to meet the needs of our immediate family and our kids are at the top of the list.  But, as is easily the case, we could shuttle them upstairs to watch a movie while dealing with adult issues and problems with you.  However, we simply cannot always do this.  We have the opportunity to get away (as Jesus needed to do in Mark 9 with his own disciples who had too much to learn and too little opportunity to learn it).  We are going to make the most of this opportunity.  Nobody we know lives like we live.  Our fellowship is in the Bible!  This is not really a vacation either, though it will be far more enjoyable than anyone’s “vacation.”  This is a time to teach our kids and to fan into flame their confidences that have already been kindled.  It is a time to give them what we have freely given most of you for 9-months out of the year while they are early to bed, early to rise, and busy at school, learning the sometimes less exciting things of life!

I hope this sheds some light as to our summer activities.  I hope that you will grow and be people of deep conviction (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5).

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