The book is released and is now available to order through the Publisher, Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

The Summer Bible study on Unlikely Women ended yesterday and I was able to share a copy of the book with each of the women. What amazing timing. And then I spent the afternoon reading from the book to the best listeners I know. The subjects of the story.

It was a very good day.

We haven’t been able to set a launch date yet but I’ll let you know. (You can bring along your book if you want it signed.) I had a dream it happened at Church, the place Pastor Marc preached for over thirty years. That would be hard to beat. Especially because my brother made the cross. 

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I even heard the story from Nancy about this cross. You’d think after four years of working together it would have come up at some point. But like I note in the book, how could I do more than scratch the surface of Marc and Nancy? This is proof. It would take many, many books to include all the situations and people who have been touched by their love, their faith, their wisdom. And their incredible adventures, “just along for the ride.” Nancy even has me saying this now.

Do you want to hear the story? About the cross I mean?

Okay. I thought maybe you might. 

My brother was an architect. Dad would say, without Ed, the business wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did. Who didn’t love Ed? He had a faith that could move mountains…which reminds me of a story Marc and I talked about yesterday…in Lebanon…it’s a great story in Chapter 34, Risks and Miracles, but for now we’ll stick closer to home where it’s rainy in Milwaukee. Did you hear about the floods in Chicago yesterday? My gosh. While I was teaching the Bible study, Chicago was pummeled. What a crazy time. I only bring up the rain because it’s a good day for a nap which I plan to do later. But first I’ll finish this story. 

So Ed oversaw the renovations of our church, Eastbrook, on Green Bay Avenue. The sanctuary was converted so that instead of it running long, north to south, it was shifted wide, east to west, meaning the pews were mostly removed so all the seats could arch around the altar and feel more inclusive, and people could see each other, Dad would say. But there was one problem. 

Days before the doors opened for the first service, Ed and probably Dad along with Marc and Nancy, were there finalizing things when Ed walked up to Nancy. He put his arm around her in typical Ed fashion, probably gave her a big kiss on the side of her head, his greeting of choice, and said, “What do you think?”

Now if you know Nancy, you know the last thing she would ever do intentionally, is rock the boat. She had remained watchful throughout, kept her opinions to herself. Maybe she wouldn’t have even mentioned anything at that moment, out of concern it might upset someone, but because Ed asked, she said,

“There isn’t a cross. We need a cross.”

The next morning, Ed drove over to the Ericksons, parked his truck in the driveway, rang the doorbell, I’m assuming, I don’t know, maybe he knocked. Maybe the door was open and he walked right in which is what you do when Nancy leaves the storm door open behind the screen door. And Ed said, 

“Come with me.” 

(Kind of like God does with us sometimes, have you noticed that?)

Well, Ed had spent the better part of the night, maybe all of it, making that cross in his garage. I’m assuming it’s cedar, the pride of all the trees, but I don’t know for sure. Whatever the wood, it doesn’t matter. You can see what he did with it. He turned it into a “Tree of God” and transported it in less than 24 hours. It reminds me of Psalm 1 when I see it which makes me think of Marc and Nancy and people like them…

They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers…Verse 3

And now you can read all about their adventures for yourself!