Preparing to launch TUMI (The Urban Ministry Institute) 25 years ago was a daunting and oftentimes discouraging task. I worked on two degrees simultaneously at Wheaton College and Graduate School. Shortage of funds, long hours of graduate school classes and their rigorous academic discipline, a tiny two-bedroom apartment for a family of five, 20 hour semesters and many side jobs by my wife Beth and I–all these and more multiplied stress and exhaustion. With a schedule so packed and resources so thin, our little family leaned hard on the Lord and his supply.
One special grace for us came from our dear friends Rich and Eldora Penner, our longtime supporters and friends since our first days in World Impact. During this time in our self-imposed academic wilderness, Rich and Eldora proved to be much more than financial and prayer supporters—they were a lifeline of friendship, kindness, and grace during our brief 3 ½ year stay in Wheaton. Their constant phone calls, visits, financial support, and spiritual counsel buoyed us through troubled times, and steadied us through many a trial. We stand in awe of their loyalty and friendship all these years, and with the passing of our sons (their adult son Phil and our adult son Matthew) we have bonded beyond any level of shared ministry heart. Our lives have been knitted together through our shared joys and trials.
Words don’t do justice to the gratitude we have to the Lord for our relationship with the Penners. From long calls to fishing trips together to countless hours of playing guitar in worship as families, our lives have been dramatically enriched and our ministry strengthened through our friendship. The Penners powerfully demonstrate for us how God tangibly reveals his kindness for those involved in urban ministry.
July is our month of gratitude! As a thank you to our supporters, please check out our 30-day devotional City Prayers.
