a different perspective

It is always good to get away to gain a different perspective.

I am in the most opposite place from my regular work in ministry possible. Salem, Massachusetts during halloween! This of course is where the witch trials took place long ago and this is the place where people involved currently in witchcraft or at least curious about the belief system associated with such things gather at halloween. They come from across the country to be here.

I have seen many curious things - costumed dogs being pushed around in strollers, of course people fully costumed and trolleys full of people touring the area. Some are people who just think it's fun to dress up for halloween and others are people who are fully devoted to satanic influenced practices.

When you go into darkness you immediately feel God's indwelling, it is actually MUCH easier to live for Christ then mixed in crowds back home. It is black and white here, back home in my world there is a lot of gray. People back home actually wear more masks than the lost folks here.

I walk around praying for the lost here, don't get me wrong, I don't believe there are more non-believers here than back home, they are just much more obvious here. More out-spoken and perhaps determined to remain lost. Or, just not called to be a Child of God, in which case I view them with deep sorrow - a totally wasted life serving themselves or worse, satan.

The perspective I gain by being here is a deep thankfulness to my Lord for my fairytale life surrounded by Godly friends and family where I seldom consider the evil that seeks to destroy the lost. It gives me a renewed determination to share my faith and reach out to those clueless about the eternal choices they make each day. I desire the eyes of my God.