From 3/29/15 my journal:
“I had the opportunity to visit briefly with a former mentor who now lives a good distance away. I was giving an update on the Titus 2 ministry and I said that my call is to minister to the “ones” and “twos” and “threes” to a depth and over enough time to have reasonable assurance that the seed of the Gospel has taken root and they have learned to walk in the Spirit as maturing disciples. He expressed the opinion that such ministry is really the way all meaningful spiritual transformation occurs. And also said that while professions of faith are good, The real proof of new life in Christ is in the changes that result from one’s profession of faith. Many learn to talk the talk. Some learn to actually walk the walk. And even some who walk the walk must do so with a limp, like Jacob, who wrestled with God, because they continue to try to do it in their own strength and their own way, having to be brought into God’s will through painful wrestling.”