While God has been gracious to bless all of my books with spiritual impact on people, Safely Home is one of them that has had particularly deep effects.

For instance, when the book was released in 2001, I “happened” to have a copy on me as I walked in a Chicago airport. I looked over and saw a girl sitting on the floor in a terminal, reading her Bible. I felt the definite tug of the Holy Spirit to go over and give her the book, which I did. (I often carry books with me and pray God will show me who to give them to. I’ve had many amazing divine appointments this way.)

Anyway, I give this girl the book and rush onto my plane, pray for her maybe for a week. Then, four years later I get an email from China, from this girl, the one I gave the book to in the airport, telling me that as a result of reading it, God led her to study Mandarin Chinese and to move to China as a missionary. She was there now and wanted me to know how happy she was. I thought, you know, this young woman may do more for God than I ever will. But whatever she does, by God’s grace, I will have had a small part in it. What a privilege.

I recently received an email from Evie Tornquist Karlsson, the great singer from decades ago. She had read Safely Home and wanted me to know it had meant a great deal to her. And she said that same day she had lunch with Patty Colson, Chuck Colson’s wife, and she too had just read it and was also greatly moved by it. I shake my head in amazement about what God has done and keeps doing through that book. All the royalties from Safely Home go to help persecuted Christians around the world, so that is a real encouragement.

In fact, all my book royalties go to the cause of Christ— 90% to other worthy Christian organizations (missions, famine relief, prolife work, Bible translation, prison ministry) and 10% to EPM to help offset the costs related to the writing/researching/editing of the books—as well as some to help facilitate the giving away of our books to people all over the world. [By God’s grace, since the inception of Eternal Perspective Ministries in 1990, EPM has given over nine million dollars in book royalties to ministries around the world.] As I talk about in my book The Treasure Principle, there is nothing like the joy of giving.