Fruit that Remains

“You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain and whatever you ask in the Father's name, He will give to you.” (John 15:16)

We are closing the doors on Psalm One Ministries at the end of September.

As you can imagine, I have a lot of emotions right now as I picture the faces of thousands of men and women who have been touched by Psalm One.

• Prayer

• Building community

• Serving the Church

• Counseling

• Consulting

• Spiritual direction

• Teaching

• Training

• Preaching

• Facilitating

• Lifting up the Lord

• Bible study in the kitchen, then the basement, then the barn, then online

• Days of Refreshing

• Refocus and Refuel Retreats

• Soul Care retreats

• Webinars

• A baptistry to beat all baptistries

• Our crazy Christmas parties

• The best meal of the week every Tuesday

• Special cookouts

• Incredible fellowship with wonderful brothers and sisters

• Partnering with Kathleen, our faithful board members, and volunteers

• Reaching out from sleepy Oregonia around the planet

• Spending time with God on the most beautiful hundred acres in the world

• “Adventure Lies Ahead” Prayer Team in Scotland, Ireland, Italy, England, Canada, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, and elsewhere

• Men and women learning the Word

• Intrepid Soul Sisters

• Pipe Sinking

• Walking with Jesus

• Serving shoulder to shoulder with faithful men and women to care for ministry families

• Feeding mouths and feeding souls

• Sisterhood of the Fishbowl on retreats and Thursday nights

• Therapy manatees, mantas, sheep, octopuses, and sea turtles

• Ministry at the farm, ministry across the US, and ministry around the world

So many faces, so much transformation, so many memories, so many friends, so much laughter, and so much love.

This weekend I taught my last official conference as Director of Psalm One Ministries. I don't think God is quite done with me yet, and I plan to serve Him until He takes me home. I’m guessing He might have one or two more appointments and adventures still in store. One never knows where in the world I might pop up. And the “Adventure Lies Ahead” Prayer Team will continue to travel around the world with me in my carry-on, receiving photos, videos, wacky encounters, stories, and whispers from God.

But I'm on an intense roller coaster of emotions right now: grief, joy, peace, tears, loneliness, excitement, heartbreak, gratitude, aimlessness, anticipation, wonder, freedom, sadness, hope, love, relief, and seeking.

Please pray for my heart and discernment as I navigate a new path. "Your eyes will see your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right or to the left." (Isaiah 30:20-21) 🙏❤️

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-11)

Please pray that Psalm One’s fruit would remain…

Much love,

Linda

For those who have been supporting the ministry and keeping us going, you may stop your donations after this month. Words cannot express my gratitude for all of your generosity and faithfulness. You have made this work possible.

I Married Adventure

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”― Ferris Bueller

I’m a wildlife photographer. Very much an amateur. In order to catch an animal in their natural habitat, one must stop, become completely still, quiet your breathing, focus your attention, and notice every flicker of a leaf and tiny flash of color. Then…respond.

Photography has become very much a spiritual practice for me, as I also learn to quiet my soul and become attentive to the whispers and movements of God. We live in a world of CPA: Continuous Partial Attention, in which we become incapable to giving all our attention to one person or one thing. "In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength." –Isaiah 30:15

My wise and insightful friend David shared this, and it really resonated with me.

“It is worth our while to think of the way God is always directing our movements, so as to bring us to the places at which He wants us to be - and to the people He wants us to touch and to help. There are no 'chance' meetings in this world. Jesus met the woman at the well, at the right moment. When we are doing God's will - He guides our movements, orders our steps, and there is a sacred meaning in our crossing of other's paths...”

“Much of our life's best work - is produced in wayside ministries; things we did not plan to do when we set out in the morning: little helpfulnesses which we render as we pass on the way; words of cheer which we speak as we move along the common paths. Often these bits of wayside service mean more than the things in our lives which seem greater, which we plan for with care.” --James Russell Miller

If we are willing to pay attention to God and the people around us, He has endless divine appointments, meaningful connections, and joyful surprises all along our path. Attentiveness leads to wonder, wonder leads to worship, worship leads to love, love leads to acts of kindness, meaningful interactions, unexpected blessings, and maybe even behaving a bit more like Jesus.

I’ve been on the other side of the globe from Ohio for the last few months, trying to be attentive enough to allow God to guide my movements and order my steps.

What have I experienced?

• Swimming with whale sharks (a Bucket List item that did not disappoint)

• Life-giving time with great friends

• Open homes

• Open hearts

• Being back home again in Australia

• Amazing provision

• Great food from friendly, warm kitchens

• Close encounters of the wildlife kind

• Alpacas, sheep, fish, birds, whales, sharks, kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras, and other friends

• Being back in a mermaid’s natural habitat, my beloved ocean

• Ministry with people face-to-face and up to 10,000 miles away

• Rest, prayer, Scripture, worship, study, reading, teaching, leading, fellowship

• Endless divine appointments

• Dogs Across Australia, and now Dogs Across New Zealand

• God holding me in His palm

• Lots of Monopoly Deal

• Tremendous laughter

Leaves me thinking…

For years my mother wanted me to get married, have three kids, and live in the suburbs, but the trajectory of my life of my life didn't seem to be headed in that direction. I’ve dated wonderful men and certainly been in love, but wedding bells were apparently not in the cards. Mom kept saying, “I can't rest until someone is taking care of you” One day she said, “You could have been married, but you didn't want to just settle for just any man.” Yes! Then she paused and said, “You have the best life of all of us.”  Darn tootin’! “And Someone is obviously taking care of you.” So you’ve noticed that, eh? From that day on, she championed the life God is giving me.

I have never forgotten an older missionary who spoke at my church. Someone asked her (one of those incredibly inappropriate questions from people who ask incredibly inappropriate questions of single people), “Does it upset you that God never allowed you to get married?” She didn't miss a beat. She instantly replied, with a huge smile on her face, “Oh no! No man would ever allow me to do everything God has let me do!”

Lucy Swindoll wrote a wonderful book called I Married Adventure, about how everyone expected her to get married, but God led her to a full, rewarding life of career, ministry, speaking, friendship, travel, photography, and an insatiable thirst to experience new cultures, places, food, people, colors, music, animals, and life!

Some people may need to hear: There are a lot worse things than being single. Sure, it’s hard sometimes, but marriage is not the "the be-all and end-all" and glorious culmination of ultimate happiness for everyone. I actually really like my life. And I thank God for how He has led and loved me.

I’m still wrestling with two out of the three questions God has been asking me and I have been asking God since my 2022 sabbatical:

• What’s my voice? In this hurting, cruel, splintered world (and Church), how is God calling ME to serve Him and others? I don’t think that has changed.

• Open the Word

• Point people to Jesus

• Help them learn to walk with Him

• Love people

• Who’s my family? It’s been so good to be with friends around the world who are very much family. We all need family, whether our connection is by blood or friendship or adoption.

• Who comprises my clan?

• Who is my tribe?

• Who is truly family?

• Where’s my home? I know I will never be completely at home until eternity, but in the meantime, where’s home? Ohio? Australia? Canada? England? Scotland? Ireland? Kenya? New Zealand?

You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place. --Miriam Adeney

For now, this Indiana Hoosier keeps bouncing around…

Many thanks to those of you traveling along with me via the WhatsApp “Adventure Lies Ahead” Team. You pray for me as I follow God around the world. You lift up my ministry as I continue to serve. You appreciate (I hope) my zillion photos. You laugh at my wacky encounters with animals and people. You ooh and ahh over the beauty of Creation. You keep me company when I feel alone. You give me space to process my days. You come along in my carry-on. Thank you, dear friends.

Some of you have asked to join the “Adventure Lies Ahead” Team, but haven’t yet connected with me. If you would like to come along in my carry-on and receive photos, videos, whispers from God, and wacky stories from the road for whatever God has in store as He keeps saying “Adventure Lies Ahead”…

• Download WhatsApp if you do not already have it.

• Connect with me and say hello. Email me if you need my QR code again.

• I’ll add you to the “Adventure Lies Ahead’ string and you can travel the world from the comfort of home. As of now, we are scheduled to be in New Zealand, Tennessee, Maui, Oahu, Kenya, England, Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland, and wherever else He flings me. How is this possible??? Absolute miracles from God. No other explanation.

Please pray for me next weekend: I will be speaking at a U.S. conference for ministry wives from Puhoi, New Zealand. Please pray for:

• God’s words, God’s agenda, God’s direction, God’s power

• To be able to narrow down everything I would love to share with these wonderful women

• Clear communication

• No technology glitches

He’s got the whole world in His hands. And I am so grateful!

Much love,

Linda

Reminder: While I am overseas, I can only be reached via email and WhatsApp. I will not see any regular texts or receive any phone messages.

G'day from a Land Down Under

Greetings from Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia!

G'day from a Land Down Under. A land of kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras. A land of oceans, deserts, and Vegemite. A huge diverse country that has stolen my heart. I’m a Midwestern American, but I still call Australia home. So grateful to be back home for some ministry, adventure, catching up, and fun with friends and adopted family. Eager to see what God has in store.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21)

This has been my prayer and my goal of everything I’ve done through Psalm One Ministries for over 26 years. We need to be encouraged and challenged by these words.

• that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,

• to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

• so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and

• that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

• may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the

• breadth and

• length and

• height and

• depth, and

• to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,

• that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

As we learn to follow Jesus through joy and sorrow, love and rejection, comfort and grief, I have seen God do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. I need to remember that faithfulness when my spirit is dry and my steam runs out. When I have no answers. I am so grateful for the opportunities, open doors, connections, divine appointments, winding roads, miracles, and amazing people in my life.

Many thanks to those of you traveling along with me via the WhatsApp “Adventure Lies Ahead” Team. In the last few weeks, we have traveled 11,320 miles and seen koala babies, quokkas, whale sharks, multi-colored fish, amazing birds, and lots of dogs. And we’ve only just begun! God is whispering, “Say YES!” So I am saying yes. God is amazing. Adventure lies ahead. (Weren’t Neil’s whale shark videos incredible?!?!)

Please keep praying for me as God keeps revealing my home, my family, and my voice.

Grace and peace,

Linda

Hey Aussie Men and Women! Come join me!

• July 26 9:30 am

Speaking at Rouse Hill Baptist Church

Please arrive by 9:15 if possible.

G10 Annangrove Rd, Rouse Hill NSW 2155

• August 2 11:30

Soul Care Retreat at Rouse Hill Baptist Church

Keeping Your Soul Alive.

G10 Annangrove Rd, Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Light lunch with donation.

Please bring a physical Bible (actual pages and everything!) and a journal.

RSVP to info@rhbc.com.au by Thursday, 30 July.

Hey Aussie Women!

• August 16

Women’s Event at Rouse Hill Baptist Church

G10 Annangrove Rd, Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Details to be announced.

Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll keep you in the loop.

Hey Pastors’ Wives!

• Psalm One Ministries will be wrapping up in September, but we are not leaving you behind. This life and ministry stuff is too complicated to handle alone. We need each another!

Very important! If you have not already responded…

·         To stay in the loop for our Thursday gatherings, please reply with “Thursday”.

·         To stay in the loop for future resources, gatherings, and info, please reply with “Future”.

• September 4-6 Pastors’ Wives Conference:

Even though I will be in New Zealand, I will be speaking at the Connecting & Bonding Ministers' Wives Virtual Conference 2026

Pastors’ Wives from anywhere are invited to join us.

C&B Virtual Conference theme this year will be: Anchored in Hope and Faith: Steady in Uncertain Times. Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” We are definitely living in uncertain times! So we are reminded more than ever of our need for a strong and steady faith one that keeps us anchored, no matter what may come.

• To register for this online conference: https://connectingandbonding.org/registration/

• If you have any questions, please email Jannice May at Jannice@connectingandbonding.org or call 626-379-0505.

Hey EVERYBODY!

• July 28 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time in US.

Join us for some catching up and time in the Word from Australia.

Psalm One Bible Study--online and open to anyone who wants to come!

Men and Women from anywhere! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9313881467  

• Also gathering August 25

Join us for some catching up and time in the Word from New Zealand.