there was a lot of misunderstanding & mis- speculation about why I left Grand Rapids

there was a lot of misunderstanding & mis- speculation about why I left Grand Rapids 

... some of you who follow my blog know a little about me and my family.. and how we moved from GR to California when I was a senior in high school, but I finished school in GR, and then went on to Calvin for more than 4 years. After my first BA I got a 2nd BA - making it 6 years, plus a year & a half at Calvin Sem, plus a year working at Pine Rest as a Mental Health Worker ... so I was a loyal GR resident for a long time with lots of GR heritage . In between all these years I would come and go for short or long spells. A semester in Spain. A semester in Hawaii. a few summers back in CA . Finally after I got a teaching degree (before I returned to seminary) I left for 2 years and taught school in CA . But i came right back to GR after those 2 years- and stayed for a year. Then I returned to CA and attended Fuller Sem. And now I regularly visit GR but no longer reside there full-time or part-time. However, I have heard things "thru the grapevine" - those kind of urban myths that evolve when people don't know anything truly factual about your life and whereabouts. They only hear little bits and pieces, and some of that may be transmitted by nefarious rivals who want to make me look bad (yes, even "good Christians" can do that sometimes). Truth is I simply moved on - beginning with my teaching - and later as a CHristian evangelist. I came VERY CLOSE to settling down in GR - the good ol' married with kids" thingamajig, but I knew God was calling me to be a missionary /evangelist, maybe even to Africa and I knew that even though the final gal I dated was a sincere Christian (from Calvin & South CHristian), I also knew she was a "Michigan girl" and would never be happy or even willing being a "missionary wife" out in the big bad world somewhere. It was the hardest thing in my life to do- because I respected her so much - and some other Michigan girls who were good spouse possibilities - but I had to be true to my calling from God. That's not to say I've always been perfectly obedient or become a classic African missionary - never did end up there (except for some short-term mission trips. But I hope this helps end any wild speculation about me and my whereabouts and who I am and what I represent, or try to. I continue to live as a CHristian evangelist and daily engage in concrete activities to reach others with the Good News of Jesus Christ our Savior ! Please pray for me. God bless you all