I have been reading alot lately about a lady in purple from Asia Minor who met the Apostle Paul and his companions, and converted to Christianity along with her family in one day. It makes me vaguely unhappy because it took me so long to find myself in Christ and she was enabled so quickly. I really had to struggle along for years! Maybe I am stupider, I mean that kindly. I mean that I just didn’t hear, wasn’t listening, was listening to myself, was listening to others…whatever. I didn’t hear that voice from the vacuum in my head.
Lydia was a businesswoman who sold purple dye or fabricsfrom Thyrateira in what is now Turkey http://www.bible-history.com/maps/romanempire/Thayatira.html who was visiting or at least living temporarily in Phillipi- a city at least several hundred miles away. That’s quite a ways if you are walking or riding a camel (even if you are on a ship!) I spent hours looking at maps, google earth and geographical trying to understand why she would be selling her wares with her family so far from home. Paul was hauled off to prison and beaten visciously shortly thereafter, that should have caused her to run but she stayed and he went back to visit with her when he was released. Strong lady.
It is a crazy world!
Jewell Johnson Mysteries by Andrea Wittwer 
I didn’t know that, thanks for the work you did so you could educate us!