Very early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus' eyes blinked open.

He stretched, got up, wandered aimlessly around the courtyard rubbing sleep from his eyes, and wondered if he should go back to bed. Sleep still cob-webbing his brain, he slipped once again between the covers and stretched. Minutes later he was still awake, more so than before. He knew that if he continued to lie there, sleep would not come. Leveraging his weight with his legs, he got up again and left the house.

Morning dew lay upon the countryside. Mists rose from the shallows of the sea. Stars overhead, fading into the dim glow of daybreak, twinkled brilliantly on the earth. Smells of clean humidity. Smells of agriculture and animals. Jesus felt good--invigorated. His heart began to long for his Father and he began to seek a solitary place. He came at length upon one of the streams that fed into the lake. He followed the bubbling current up a slight hill to a place where it issued from a clear pool. The pool was surrounded by mossy walls down through which the water had formed a small gorge, seeking the leaf-covered bottom of the pool. A log lay across the gorge, overgrown with weeds, lichen and shrubs. At its stump, the roots had lost their purchase near the lip of the wady, and had fallen diagonally down to where Jesus stood, offering an inviting place to sit. He sat. He listened to the water. He listened to the small creatures of the night. He listened to the hush of approaching dawn. He lifted his eyes to the stars and whispered, "Good morning, Father."

Jesus lingered at this idyllic spot well into the early hours of the day. Everyone else had risen, breakfasted, and started their day. The family had missed Jesus at breakfast but surmised that he was somewhere, probably praying. They were becoming accustomed to his habits. In time, however, when Jesus did not appear, Peter, Andrew, James and John went searching for him. Andrew, who seemed to have an innate talent for finding people, came upon the stream. And with the others following, in a few moments came upon Jesus at the Prayer Pond, the name it would carry from this time forward. When Andrew found him, he ventured respectfully, "Jesus?" The Lord looked up from his gaze into the pool. One could easily surmise that Jesus was a contemplative man. And so it is, and so it must be for everyone who seeks to tap his deepest resource of strength. There, deep within the waters or beyond the stars, or in the stillness of the forest, is where one seeks and finds the peaceful comfort of the Creator. Andrew came closer and said, "Everyone is looking for you, Lord!" His time of prayer had ended.

Jesus, however, did not move. As the men gathered around him, taking their places on rocks and clumps of grass, Peter sat down next to him on the log. Acknowledging their presence, Jesus at length replied, "The time has come to go." His voice was low. Quiet.

"Where, Master?" said Peter. "Here," Peter continued with solicitation, "you have my home, food and shelter. Here we have the sea and fishing."

"We shall not always have these things, Simon," Jesus responded. "Before our course is done, we shall have traveled the length of Israel. We will start with nearby villages and expand from there. I must preach. That is why I have come. I must speak to as many as will hear of why the Father has sent me." Jesus spoke with enthusiasm. "Let us be about it! Come, those who need my Father's love await us!"

"What Simon says has merit, Lord," from Andrew. "How shall we provision? How shall we support ourselves?" It was a question that has plagued message bearers since there were message bearers. Who will pay the bills? Where will food come from? Shelter? Sandals and clothing? Indeed, how would they pay the Romans for the privilege of breathing the air?

For the past year, Jesus had lived meagerly owing to the generosity of Joseph, his father. Friends had helped. Zebedee and his sons had provided some sustenance. Peter had offered his home and their trade, fishing, had also provided means. But if they were to undertake what Jesus was suggesting, there would have to be more. One would think there would have to be something regular, sustained and dependable. However, they had little money.