Getting Home Before Dark

"Lord, let me get home before dark." That was the prayer of Peter Dyck, asking God to let him die before age robbed him of his ability to be kind, trusting, loving and generous.

"Once they were young and strong, kind and loving, but something happened,” he writes. “Their generous spirits shriveled, their minds became suspicious, and they became something we thought existed only in horror stories, not in reality . . .. O Lord, please, don't let that happen to me. Let me get home before a darkness like that overtakes me."

Dyck, who passed away January 4, 2010 at the age of 95, had his prayer answered—he got home before dark. In this book of reflections and mediations he writes honestly about his various life experiences, and also of his hopes and fears about growing older. In the end, he concludes, the most important thing is faith in God and building relationships with others.

Life is exciting and rewarding, full of challenge and frustration. Yet suddenly more than half is gone, and we have done so little.

In these meditations for all ages, Dyck shares stories and insights from his wealth of experience, helping refugees, building peace, and challenging audiences. He especially promotes intergenerational family life. With all our efforts, he says, we eventually learn that our greatest satisfaction comes from relationships with other people. We often fail and need forgiveness. With Paul, we confess that we see only "in a mirror, dimly" and "know only in part." We look forward to knowing fully when we see our Lord "face to face." Meanwhile, the greatest grace is love.

Read Getting Home Before Dark, a chapter from Peter’s book.
Read the Foreword
Table of Contents