Dear Michael,

Greetings from Odyssey. It is truly a new day on which to rejoice. John Whittaker, the man who
lost his dear wife, who was stopped from taking in and adopting the girl Clara, and who pushed
his friend Jack out of his life in a terrifying fit of rage, has at last returned home. In the process
of lugging his bitterness and anger with him from place to place, his clenched grip has loosened.
As he re-examined himself, all at once the realization came flooding back to him that his life had
not always been this way. It wasnt always the worn-out, unpleasant seclusion he had made of his
retired life. He thought his best years were long past and that he had begun the steep descent
towards the end. Even before his wifes death, John had lost his way. He was tired and
deteriorating. Like the shell of the old recreation center, it appeared that he had almost given up
altogether. Sentimental value aside, he felt himself to be without worth. But just as Jenny did
with the old building, she made it her mission save him, to bring about a dramatic reversal in his
life. And in her death, that reversal has finally come. Fillmore has been saved, and the man who
just weeks ago would have so callously let it die has done it. As new life comes back to the
broken-down center, John Whittaker has been revived as well.
The work the Holy Spirit has accomplished in John is clearly visible for all to see. The man has
surrendered himself to Gods will and I have little to doubt this will continue to bring further
changes to his life. Up until now John was a hard man, relying on his wife to be the charitable
one working for the good of others. But no more. His new commission will be to serve the
people of Odyssey. And by Gods grace, let him never forget the vision Jenny had for restoring
Fillmore. She wanted it to be a place where kids could retreat from worldly distractions and be
helped on their childlike pursuit of the Truth. John is on his own journey as he grows closer to
God, and he will benefit greatly as he watches those younger than him travel a similar road. Let

him discover daily what Christ meant when he said, I tell you the truth, unless you turn from
your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So
anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And
anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
The Lord has blessed John with a new purpose. There is much good in store in His plans for the
future. But this turn of events has not gone unnoticed by others. I am concerned about what
attacks are already in the works to bring about the mans undoing. I have heard whispers of
countermoves and retaliation. John Whittaker is a popular man and his reawakening has caused a
stir. There is little doubt in my mind that the enemy does not take our meddling lightly.
Nevertheless, I will stand my ground. I hope to prepare and guard John for the battles ahead. And
I know that whatever the enemy means for evil, God will use for good. He will reclaim his
corrupted creation, taking back the tools bent and distorted by the enemy and restoring them to
their proper purpose.
It is time to begin a new chapter in John Whittakers life. I must admit to being quite excited to
help John as he readies himself to take on this particular venture in Odyssey. His colleagues at
the Universal Press Foundation were admittedly taken aback at first by the sudden proposal to
buy Fillmore, but with a little convincing, and a nudge or two, they came on board. They
enthusiastically (and unanimously) voted to have John himself run the new shop once its
opened. How strange it is to think about. Who would have thought that an encyclopedia company
would invest in a center for children run by a God-fearing man in a small town which is likely to
never earn them a profit? But the Lord has used even less-likely people and more humble
circumstances to accomplish what man called impossible. Through his redemptive love, He is

calling the whole world back to Himself. Only when the nations embrace the work Christ has
freely done for them, will they find their rest in Him.
Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.

Malachi