My heart started leaking through my eyes just south of Yankton, South Dakota. It was a beautiful morning as I drove past fields of corn, signs touting crop insurance, and congregating cattle. Fresh bales of hay stood at the end of their rows like giant marshmallow sentinels.

And the clouds. And the blue sky and the sunshine.

And then a hammered dulcimer broke into the scenery, and Rich started singing:

Well the moon moved past Nebraska
And spilled laughter on them cold Dakota Hills
And angels danced on Jacob's stairs
Yeah they danced on Jacob's stairs
There is this silence in the Badlands
And over Kansas the whole universe was stilled
By the whisper of a prayer
The whisper of a prayer

And the single hawk bursts into flight
And in the east the whole horizon is in flames
I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

I can feel the earth tremble
Beneath the rumbling of the buffalo hooves
And the fury in the pheasant's wings
And there's fury in a pheasant's wings
It tells me the Lord is in His temple
And there is still a faith that can make the mountains move
And a love that can make the heavens ring
And I've seen love make heaven ring...

And I know this thirst will not last long
That it will soon drown in the song not sung in vain
I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And with the prairies I am calling out Your name.

Stop and listen to the song (again and again.)

Its amazing! Nebraska’s beauty is amazing. Rich Mullins was a gift. And better yet was the affirmation he sang: “The Lord is in His temple.” And He listens when we call out to Him. The Lord has come to us; He has called us to follow Him. He listens.

On the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

They shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds,

and I will declare Your greatness.

They shall pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness

and shall sing of Your righteousness…

The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all,

and His mercy is over all that He has made…

The Lord is near to all who call on Him. . .

Psalm 145:5-9, 18

Just a bit south of Yankton, He reminded me: He is near.