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

Just got home from the Focus Simulcast!

Wow. What an amazing experience to have had the honor to be part of the Focus on the Family Marriage Simulcast. I should have known it would be a special time when I left Arizona and it was 84 degrees -- and landed in Denver and it snowed driving down to Colorado Springs! The day I landed, literally, while I was driving down to the Springs, Dr. Dobson was speaking at chapel for all the Focus employees -- and he and Shirley resigned from the Focus Board! That was this past Friday. I was supposed to go to a dinner with all the speakers, including Gary Smalley, Beth Moore, Gary Thomas, and Del Tackett (not to mention Jeremy Camp, the musician for the day) -- but I'm still battling a bad ear infection and went to bed at 8:00pm. (My wife Cindy was bummed I couldn't go and get Beth Moore's autograph! (<:) Saturday, I was the last speaker. I was charged with wrapping things up and with bringing the "high view of marriage" each speaker have given, down to the practical "how do I live it out at home" level. To do that, I walked out with a red balloon. I went through a short review of what each speaker had done, and how their message had "lifted up" our view of marriage -- Gary Thomas on how marriage should be more about holiness then happiness; Beth Moore with insights from Ephesians 5, Del Tackett with high thoughts from Genesis 2, and Gary Smalley, who challenged people to be sold out to Christ and consumed with prayer. All lofty ideals and all a great way to "lift up our eyes" to all marriage could be. With each speaker I mentioned, I let the balloon get higher and higher as I talked about each speaker. then I shared how my session would be about bringing "up there... down here." And I pulled the balloon down and started my talk. I hope it was helpful for folks to hear about The 2 Degree Difference. It was really fun to get to talk to the 900 folks in attendance, and to the 500+ churches across North America who were tuning in via simulcast. We need that "high view of marriage." And we also -- Cindy and me included -- need to bring all those "up there" ideas... "down here." Stay strong. Lord bless, and more later, JT

High Speed Grief and a family that needs our prayers

Yesterday, I opened an email from AMFM, a marriage and family ministry that links together pastors and marriage and family ministry leaders from across the country. The email said that a friend of ours from Texas was literally minutes away from losing their 12 year old son. Conner Deal was fighting for his life in a hospital in Dallas. His parents, Ron and Nancy, having brought him down from Amarillo to a larger hospital were at side. Ten days before, he was doing great. He caught a cold, it went into his lungs, and now he was fighting for his life against pneumonia. We gathered as many people together as we could in our office, and prayed for this family and this young man and his parents. (As others prayed, I thought of having lunch with Conner and his family after I'd spoken at his father's church. I could see him running towards a water park this past August near the hotel his family stayed at for the AMFM conference. A precious, active, awesome kid.). Several people prayed, and when we lifted our heads, another email popped up, sharing the news that Conner had gone to be with the Lord. I can't explain how sad it was to step into that life and death drama at light speed. I also can't imagine the grief that the Deal family is having to cope with this day. Technology is a great thing. But on this day it carried sad news at high speed. Please pray with us for the Deal family, today, and in the really tough days ahead.

Welcome to John Trent's Blog on building StrongFamilies!

A blog devoted to building StrongFamilies? That's right! Welcome to this very first posting of what will be a frequent chance for me to share thoughts, stories, prayer requests, studies, and comments in general concerning all things marriage and family. As I write tonight, I'm thinking about my friend (now passed away) named, Dr. Jerry Falwell. From my hotel room, I can see Liberty University. Jerry built this University that began in 1971, and today, it's a sprawling campus in Lynchburg, VA, with thousands of college and graduate students (And a pretty good basketball team! Check out the league leading, Lady Flames!). I'm getting ready to speak at a Valentines Banquet tomorrow night (Friday night), at Travis Avenue Baptist Church (with Dr. Kevin Leman). Today, the church, like the University, is growing by leaps and bounds -- and it's new Pastor is... Jonathan Falwell. Jerry's oldest son. And that's what I wanted to post about. Several years ago (try fifteen!) I was asked by Dr. Falwell to come out and do a "marriage and family seminar" at his church. (Their first one). Guess who sat in the front row? Dr. Falwell. Guess who was sitting next to him? His wife and children -- including Jonathan. And afterwards, guess who got to go out to a local Subway with Jerry and his whole family for dinner? Me. Dr. Falwell was demonized in the press for years. On that night after the seminar, and in all the years I knew him after that, he was an incredibly warm and caring person -- and he was the real deal as a husband and father. With a crushing schedule, he took time for hiswife wife and kids. I saw him laugh with them, hug them, his eyes shine with pride as he introduced his wife and children to me. Jerry's gone now, but his legacy is going strong. I can see it as I look up at the lights shining in a huge new dorm. I know I'll see it when I shake Jonathan's hand tomorrow night. Not many of us are going to leave a University behind as a legacy -- but all of us who are parents have the opportunity to leave a loving legacy to our kids. Makes me think how much I miss Cindy and my girls back home. I'm going to call home... again. I'll let you know  how the seminars goes...