Back from Dallas EXPO and a house of mirrors...

There are so many controdictory examples of whether things are getting worse -- or getting better in the world we're facing -- it's like living in a house of mirrors. Look in one mirror, one day, and things look small and shrunken. For example, I just got back from the Dallas Book Expo. They had expected, literally, at least 50,000 people to show up at the Dallas Convention Center. We bought a booth (see above) and were all set to help hundreds of families who walked by. On Friday, almost no one walked by all day. There were, literally, 400 people at the event -- not 50,000. On Saturday, it looked like 300 people. On Sunday, I was told that many of the events were canceled. It was incredible to see thousands of feet of convention floor space, filled with books and authors and book publishers -- and so few people. To put it in perspective, if Max Lucado was doing a book signing, how long would you expect his line to be? If you said, "Around the entire convention center!" You'd normally be right! However, at this Book Expo, I walked over, talked to my friend, Max, got caught with him for several minutes before finally, another person walked up to get a book signed by him! (By the way, Max has quit riding his road bike and is back to golfing, having golfed with Michael Hyatt, Publisher of Thomas Nelson, the day before).
That's the negative "mirror" I looked into over the weekend. Apparently, money so tight, people so scared of even buying a book -- they just stayed home.
Then on Monday it's like looking at another mirror!
The market goes up over 500 points! (Which in stock market terms is a lot in one day!!!). All that to say, I'm glad that we have a God who knows the future -- and knows us. Put in the words of 1Cor. 13:12, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." I'm thankful that in these uncertain, "house of mirror" times, we can know that while we face lots of uncertainty today, one day we'll exchange it for a full picture of Jesus, and His love and plan for our lives.
Good news in confusing times! Write more later and Lord bless, John Trent

Cold hands warm hearts in South Dakota

Wow! Two days ago I was home in Scottsdale, mowing our yard and it was only 84 degrees. Last night it was zero here in South Dakota! What a difference a two hour plane flight can make! I spoke a few hours ago at a Priority Associates luncheon in downtown Souix Falls to about 100 business people. My topic. The 2 Degree Difference in their workplaces, homes and heart for God. During my talk, I held up a steering wheel and told a story of my falling asleep at the wheel in New Mexico -- waking up in "big trouble" when my car went across six lanes and started to go off the road -- and my making things worse by trying a "big solution" to my "big problem" by yanking the steering wheel 180 degrees. (Which, if you're a paramedic or police officer you know is how you roll your car over several times). For several of the people I talked to afterwards, that "picture" with the steering wheel was the very thing that had been holding them back in either growing, or coming to Christ -- namely, they were waiting for, or thinking that only a 180 degree change could bring change for them. For one "seeker", he told me "I have so many questions about evolution, I think I've been waiting for all my questions to be answered before I make any kind of decision about Jesus." For another, it was thinking that "there had to be one big thing" he could do to try and win back his wife (instead of making small 2 Degree changes right now). In short, it's so much like us to think that we have to do something "big" when we face a big problem. It's so much like Jesus to remind us to be "faithful in a little" and to have faith the size of a mustard seed. Hope you're doing great, making those 2 Degree changes, and staying warm! Post more later, JT

Carrying a "He who must not be named" mark on my forehead

It's Friday, March 6th, and I'm just now back in front of a computer. After speaking at the Focus on the Family Simulcast on Saturday, I flew home, taught our Sunday morning "parents with grade school children" class at Scottsdale Bible Church, and then flew back out Sunday afternoon to Dallas, Texas. Sunday night after landing, I meet with an incredible ministry called, Marriage Mentors. Only I was sick in Colorado (missing the evening dinner with all the other speakers), felt worse on Sunday, and got really, really sick late Sunday night. For only the second time in 25 years -- I couldn't answer the bell. I called Dewey Wilson (the founder of Marriage Mentors) and told him that I was just too sick to drive over that morning for our next meeting. I called my family doctor (who lives down the street from us) and he chewed me out severely and told me to get home immediately! To make the story shorter, I was able to fly home a few hours later, go to the doctor that afternoon, and to go to bed Monday afternoon with what I was told was "the worst inner ear infection" my doctor had seen in quite some time.
However... that's where "He who must not be named comes in."
It was late at night on Monday after I was home, and I was feeling terrible. I decided to get up and go into the kitchen to get some water, but with the severe inner ear infection, my head started spinning (Similar to vertigo I'm told). I passed out, hit the floor -- with my head -- and so when Cindy walked around the corner to see what had happened (I guess I upset the dogs sleep by falling), I was unconscious, laying on the floor, and blood pouring from my head! (It was actually a small cut on my forehead, but head wounds bleed like crazy!). Next thing I remember, the paramedics are there, and I'm on my way to the hospital! After all the tests you can imagine (lasting all night), it was declared I just had an inner ear infection that threw off my balance. And of course, I've got this really cool cut on my forehead that looks (my older daughter says) like Harry Potter's scar! (Except, I think mine will go away in a few weeks).
Since Monday night, I have spent more time in bed then I have in a decade, so I'm actually feeling better and certainly am rested up. All that to say, "He who must not be named" may have gotten the best of my head on Monday, but I'm thankful for Almighty God's healing and for a wonderful family to make sure I'm able to head out next week on more trips and write more posts soon! Stay strong and keeping making 2 Degree changes. JT