You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Monday morning dawned awash with sunshine and not a cloud to be seen. So I eased out of bed, took a photograph of the sun just as it emerged from its nighttime travels, then bicycled twelve miles, tasting the vaguest hint of sea-salt in the heavy summer air.

I was back well before 8:00 and had time to luxuriate in a cool shower before brewing coffee and enjoying a relaxed breakfast with Rebekah.

The balance of the morning was dedicated to writing and I can’t imagine a better setting for comfort, peace and inspiration.

Easing into this new week serenity was our watchword.

Later, feeling suitably mellow and rested, we made our way over the two bay bridges, across the sparkling blue waters that first caught our attention in 1982, through the city of Pensacola, and out to Azalea Trace, the retirement community where several of our friends from Trinity Presbyterian Church now reside.

We enjoyed a long, conversational dinner with Frank and Sylvia Beall, getting caught up on children and grandchildren and life in general.

I know I have talked about this before, but the relationship between Frank and Rebekah as pastors was/is critically important, fundamental to what made 1982-1996 such a special era at Trinity. Frank and Rebekah both loved Jesus, they loved the church, they loved each other and they still do. Anything is possible when key leadership is passionate about faith and proactively facilitates a mutually encouraging work culture.

This is exactly what happened in Brandon, too, where Rebekah and Tim Black developed the same quality of relationship and the church grew in every possible way. They love each other to this day.

After supper we continued to share and laugh and listen to stories when the circle grew to include Ann and Jim Green, Andrew and Mary-Catherine Hinton, and Pat Patterson.

We love Pensacola, and I will continue to post amazing photographs each day. But it is the beautiful people (who so completely captured our hearts from 1982-1996) who will always make this place a destination for us.

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love…” and we are the grateful recipients of so much – DEREK