“Get a motel room,” said Rod, my husband. His words of wisdom made me smile. We were only going across the lake, about an hour from home, but I had two events scheduled. Dr. Sprague’s third annual celebration of his Grace Adventures Ministry on Friday night. The Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday to sell Finding Faith in the City Care Forgot. A motel room would make the weekend enjoyable by cutting the drive time in half. We left our wiener dog and his two-pound comrade in the care of our son and departed for Dr. Sprague’s celebration.

He opened the celebration with words of hope. Many are discouraged because our nation is in a polar divide that appears impossible to reconcile. He wasn’t discouraged. “I have met some of the finest people working in politics that I’ve ever met in any season of my life,” said Dr. Sprague. In the past three years, he had noticed a difference between the thoughts of people about government and his reality. He sees God at work in Caesar’s house.

Dr. Sprague introduced his first guest, a state representative, as one who lives his faith daily. The political leader challenged us to stop filling our ears with the unending flood of negative information pouring from talking heads on TV. The day he stops believing he can make a difference, he will leave political office. He concluded his comments with my husband’s favorite scripture—Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

An attorney who recently accepted Christ spoke next. His success made him arrogant, and his arrogance cost him everything. Then he met Dr. Sprague, who led him to Christ. The attorney concluded his comments with a quote from Elbert Hubbard, “God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas, but for scars.” Next, a pastor spoke about his calling to teach victorious Christian living. He also acknowledged the encouragement he received from the ministry of Dr. Sprague.

A state senator spoke about the positive effect the current Washington administration had on the silent majority. He knew nothing about politics when friends asked him to run. He also knew silence is part of the problem. When he told his friends he would have to ask the boss, they thought he was talking about his wife. He was talking about God. He considers his work in government his mission field. A member of the House of Representatives followed with a formal Resolution commending Grace Adventures “spiritual support provided to the legislators through Michael Sprague’s ministry as chaplain of the Capitol Commission.”

The evening concluded with comments from a retired NFL wide receiver. He emphasized the need for a relationship with Christ and the work needed to maintain that relationship. He named four things to work on: attend church to hear the word of God, attend a Bible study so we can understand the Bible, fellowship with other Christians so we can strengthen each other, read the Bible so others can’t deceive us. He challenged us to test our lives and remove whatever keeps us from doing these things.

I left the meeting encouraged by the testimonies of people in government who relied on God. My husband enjoyed the inspiring message from the pastor and football player. We rose early the following morning for the Arts and Crafts Fair. This was my first event of the year to sell Finding Faith in the City Care Forgot.  A church event is the best venue for me to sell my book, but I was not optimistic.

My husband set up my table. We sat down and said in unison, “We forgot the balloons.” Rod, who has worked with children for thirty years, wanted to make balloon animals for children at the event. He said it would keep parents at the table long enough to consider my book. Great idea, but we didn’t get to test it, and I didn’t need it that day, but I think I had a little help from the friend who invited me to the event. More than one person stopped at my table to say, “Are you Mimi’s sister?” We are sisters in Christ, but not by blood. Thanks for the table traffic, Mimi. A third of my inventory sold.