I mentioned a story I viewed on RT: “Forgotten in Hell: Half of Yazidis abducted by ISIS still missing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CvTJ_VDWrY19. Besides the brutality of what ISIS has done to so many thousands, I marveled at the willingness of some men in Iraq who were willing to do the very risky effort of recovering some from slavery. They have my respect. This is something I don’t think I have the gift to do. However, what they are dealing with, ISIS, is a cult of Islam. A cult can be brutal, even when they are a cult of a religion whose basis is untrue. Christianity is true, and I fully believe this, am willing to contend for it, and am attempting to live as someone who follows the Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity has its cults also, and one of them is the PCA. My evidence is the shunning and the refusal to contend on the Scripture or follow their own doctrine decided by the General Assembly.

I described in 2016 how I was going to be more public in my effort to reconcile with my family and others. In 2017 that happened in earnest. My plan for 2018 is to refine and expand my efforts with the goal of reconciling with all. The four primary men involved, Jim Cross, Render Caines, Chris Bitterman and myself are no longer in the early years of life. Perhaps one or more of us will not survive 2018. This was mentioned in the close of the “Naming Names” video (http://family.kozlowski.org/2017-02-25). Since time is fleeting, I will make every effort to reconcile with the three others before, like John Painter in the video, we take our last breath.

The brutality of ISIS is horrific, and the men who rescue some use cunning, deception, and a lot of money, often their own. While I believe they do a loving thing, my technique is very different. My reference is the Scripture. My effort is very open (Galatians 2:14). The Lord commands reconciliation (Matthew 5:24) and I will pursue that wholeheartedly. My effort will be bold and clear (Eph 6:19 “parrhēsia”) with the full embrace of Acts 4:29. I already have had a taste of that when religious leadership sent the police to my door (consider all of Acts 4).

I took a 5 mile hike today to run errands and only just over an hour was travel time. Considering the way I walk, the way I eat, and my complete non-involvement with the medical community, I might easily outlive the other three. Considering what I do, that might not be true. However, I trust my life and my soul in the hands of a gracious Lord. I am far more willing to pursue love with boldness. This is the model I want to set before my kids.

If my wife wanted a man who could make a lot of money with computers, she did marry a man who could do that. But I also had additional goals. If my wife married a man who wanted to strive to know and follow the Lord, she might want to relook at the fellow she married. He is far less pursing the money, and far more pursuing the Lord. Perhaps she will find that attractive? Perhaps she will remember the commitment we made to each other? Perhaps someone will show her from Scripture that the state does not end marriage, but only death. I have tried. At this moment I am alive. I remain available to Dorothy-Jane Kozlowski only and for all the days of my life. Dorothy-Jane, I love you!