Ann’s Life

It all sounds crazy now. At the time, my life was crazier than I recognized. I was lonely and directionless. I yearned for the secret to life; the secret to me. Tsunamis of change swept the country, even Northwestern University, where I pursued – not so much a B.A., but something more elusive. The upheavals of that time opened intriguing possibilities to the seeking heart. Civil rights marches and anti-war protests offered purpose. Timothy Leary held… Read More »Chapter 1: A New Life

On Sunday I was baptized. On Monday I simply stayed at the Ranch, returning to my tiny house only to collect what few belongings seemed worth holding onto. From a solitary life, I landed abruptly in a communal existence: seldom alone, with rules and expectations that chafed. Three couples were in a leadership role – Weldon and Barbara, with their two children – a girl of perhaps seven and a… Read More »Chapter 2: Learning To Live

I now lived with Celine and her husband Ben and their three children. Penny, the youngest, would be my responsibility. When we discussed pay, I said I was thinking about $10 (a week), and Celine said she had been thinking the same amount – per month! After the first dinner of canned tomato soup and crackers, I began picking edible greens in the nearby forest for a salad, making a… Read More »Chapter 3: Away from Home

For days we all helped – or watched in fascination – as John made final tweaks to the old bus in preparation for our trip. Finally the day came. We packed up the bus and piled in. John mostly drove while the rest of us lounged on pillows or peered out the windows. Our first visit would be to Isla Vista, close to Santa Barbara – maybe a twelve-hour drive… Read More »Chapter 4: Road Trip

For me, life in Isla Vista whirled with new experiences and sensations. It all came in a rush, at once heady and disturbing and transcendent. The brothers and sisters displayed a love for the Lord that was beautiful to me. They treated one another, and me, as family. From Gene’s messages, from the Scriptures, from the lives of saints around me, I was learning more about the Lord each day.… Read More »Chapter 5: Church Life