August 25th, 2026
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
Dear Family and Friends,
A little update from the road! We have spent this beautiful summer visiting and saying goodbye to family and the community we so deeply cherish.
Among the many providential gifts from God was our planned trip to Wyoming—graciously sponsored by Hawkeye Ranch—and our yearly camping trip with some dear friends from St. Augustine Academy. Both were on our calendar a year in advance, but the Lord turned them into a most glorious, beautiful opportunity to say "goodbye" to our close friends and family. Our summer "bumming" has taken us through California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. It truly was a grand goodbye tour of the Western United States! We are sharing a few pictures of those adventures here, alongside the lovely photos captured by our beloved Leo Raab during our send-off at St. Raphael’s Byzantine Catholic Mission.
I want to share a little reflection from a recent moment of prayer. As people have asked how I’m handling the move, I kept telling them how much I just wanted to get my packing organized to ensure everything fit, was measured, and was perfectly weighed. I caught myself saying again and again, "I would have enjoyed all these trips far more if I could just get [insert the endless mountain of moving logistics here] organized first!"
When I brought this restless desire before the Lord, He gently revealed a lie hidden in that statement—and a tiny drop of resentment. The rough translation of the grace that flooded my prayer was simply: “You do not need to have all things work out the way you expect in order to receive My graces, and to receive them with profound joy and gratitude.”
What an incredible exhale of peace came through that realization! Truly, I have nothing but gratitude to show for this time. Mind you, the Lord immediately tested this newfound detachment! When we were finally ready to start our packing, I came down with a debilitating cold, and Nick ended up doing every single ounce of the heavy lifting and packing without a single word of input from me! God is so good!
That is the beautiful spirit of the Theodochos—the God-receiver. We recognize Christ exactly as He enters, as He comes, and as He gives Himself to us in the unexpected chaos. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts recognize His presence and are filled with a rapture of Heavenly Joy, even amidst moving bins and luggage.
We love each of you, are forever grateful for your love, and carry you in our prayers as we begin this next chapter!
With all our love and gratitude,
+Lorena Towle
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