The skies over Dallas may be engulfed in fog, but our purpose here at Dallas Theological Seminary and Dallas itself, could not be more clear.
October has always been a month of celebration in our home, and really, the Lind family. There are SO many October birthdays to celebrate, including Gabe & Cousin Jordan’s on October 3, Tyler’s on October 28, and our “Best Man” Ray on October 29! I’d have to ask all the Aunties to know just how many more. I know it’s a LOT!
October is very different for us since 2025. Back when we were expecting Tyler in 2004, I joked that I would rather hold him in an extra day than have him share a birthday with Ray!! I, of course, was joking! It turns out, Ray has truly lived up to his title and has been there for us along with some key other friends that we could not have made it through our Octobers without. Luke, Drew, Nathan and the other countless members of our “family”…you know who you are if I didn’t specifically mention you, and we are so grateful for you all! (not quite a Y’all, yet)
October 2026 in Dallas brought some personal growth for Gabe and I as individuals and as a couple. I have watched him set aside time every morning since about mid July 2024 when he would pick up “The Daily Bread” and read the short passages. His dad, for as long as I can remember, had The Daily Bread booklets in the Lind house where Gabe was raised. That fatherly influence stuck with Gabe and when he felt the desire to start a dedicated morning time with God, that was where he started. Yesterday, as we sat in our apartment having some precious time together, Gabe told me that he started by reading the page and the verse. That led him to wanting to read the chapter and eventually it developed into a deeper study in the word. That was also the time I started to see a change in Gabe, physically. He started having more structure in his eating, his physical fitness and his overall life. As I watched this pattern develop, we started talking about it and last school year, he encouraged me to just sit down in the morning with a devotional or my Bible and be intentional about it. That developed in me to spending 5 minutes in the word. I didn’t do it daily, as distractions of life battled with my desire to do devotions. I’m still not doing as well as I’d like, but my weekday mornings now include hearing him wake up, get ready and go into his study (in Dallas, Texas!!!) to spend at least the first hour of his day in prayer to God and reading His Word. I come out to the living room and read, listen to, pray and each time I do, I find myself longing for more and more time with God. I am now setting an alarm so I remember to get ready for work! Gabe has spent countless hours reading both books and the Bible and the growth in him is awesome to see. He is even taking a class this spring/summer that will be IN ISRAEL! He will get to study Bible Exposition in the land where the words we read today took place! I am so excited to see what walking where Jesus may have walked and standing where the men and women of the Bible lived does for his connection and further study of the Word. Please pray for the logistics of the trip to work out, finances to come through and the stability in the region of Israel as they have not been able to do this class since 2023.
As we turn our clocks back and reflect on October 2026, we remember those that have passed and recall the GOODNESS they left behind. We praise God for the example Tyler was to his family and friends and for the legacy we hope to continue of having daily devotions and spending time with God, that Danny (a.k.a. “Bop”) instilled in us, even if done so quietly.
November brings a few changes in our daily lives as Gabe is getting connected with the basketball community down here. He will also get to travel back to Wisconsin to both visit our precious granddaughter, Savanna, and ref some games with old friends back “Up North” (that used to mean Upper Michigan, now WI is part of that, too!)
Please pray for save travels for Gabe and for me as I continue to learn the ways of doing my job down here in Dallas. We tried out a much smaller, community based church and are going back this morning for our 3rd week. Please pray that we would be able to decide if this is going to be our local church as we connect with the people we have so quickly connected to. It is so much like growing up at Woodland and we feel drawn to this sort of family feel. We tried out a close-to-our-apartment church when we first arrived in Dallas but it is a mega-church and although we loved our Sunday School class, we longed for a deeper connection with people. We think we have found that. (I say that as Gabe is busy in our kitchen making egg bakes for our upcoming brunch at church today)
Thank you all for loving us, praying with us and reading about our journey. We cherish each and every connection and hope that November brings you a season you can be THANKFUL for all of the GOODNESS we see, as well as the challenges that can draw us close to God and each other.
Love from Dallas to You All (still not Y’all)
~Kelly and Gabe
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