Sometimes as I contemplate the trials, tribulations, failures, and dangers/fears of my days (not the least of which included the jungles, rice patties, and mountains of SVN or the episodes with the Sandinistas in Nicaragua), I remember what sustained me.  Even in my most sin-filled years, I carried a faith in one Biblical verse, Matthew 28:20.  Before I was even a teen, an elderly widow who lived directly across the street (Mrs. Gleason) handed me a small card that read, “Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world.”  We moved away, and I never saw nor heard of Mrs. Gleason again, but later I carried that card in my wallet until moisture caused it to come apart.  No matter, it was now entrenched in my memory and my “go to” thought when my confidence slipped or I sensed danger or doubt.  That verse remains an anchor of my faith in Jesus, and it has never let me down. 

Matthew 28:20 is presently being added to my business card.