If I may I’d like to just establish at the start here that I’m not a terribly traditional writer. I like to write personal letters, the kind that are full of the quirks of the author and aren’t overly edited. So if you’ll grant me permission to write in that manner, I would greatly appreciate it!

Here in Northern Colorado it’s a perfect day to brew a cuppa and sit down for a chat. At the moment that I’m writing to you it’s snowing heaps and therefore a coffee and treats kinda day! We almost always get a giant snow fall like this in March, it’s a Colorado tradition! Of course piles of snow outside mean that everything slows to a crawl until we can dig out, so I’m taking advantage of that and penning this to you with my coffee ready at hand.

When we last wrote to you we were introducing you to the mission of Nexus Int and doing our level best to communicate the path forward into joining with Nexus full time. As with all paths in life we can only pray, trust and walk forward! This is just what we have been doing these last few months.

“Sometimes I’m asked to list the most important steps in preparing for an evangelistic mission, and my reply is always the same: prayer . . . prayer . . . prayer.” - Billy Graham

Prayer. It’s essential. Vital. Formational. Life giving. Critical!

“And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time.” Mark 1:35

“Now it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer with God.” Luke: 6:12

“And after saying goodbye to them, he left for the mountain to pray.” Mark 6:46

What else is there to say? There is no way forward but through prayer.

Trust. Can I just tell you that stepping out into full time ministry is nothing if it’s not an exercise in trust? Jesus extends his hands and bids us come and from that moment onward our trust muscles are being stretched and strengthened the only way muscles are ever trained! By heavy lifting, pain, coming to the end of our strength and by resting in Jesus. This is continuous and necessary if trust is ever to be strong… (but I can’t say I’d put it on the super fun list! I mean, the results are fun, but the process of building the muscle? Yeah, not so much). Trust Jesus. This is powerfully challenging and intensely freeing simultaneously!

“It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a small branch.” Timothy Keller

And so it is that we come to walking forward. Right now this means support raising. Now if you are among those who just curled into a fetal position at the mere mention of these words, I say to you, “I know. I feel that.” But before you shut down and withdraw from reading any further can I share with you something kinda crazy and amazing? This process of going low, humbly sharing and asking… it’s also transforming. We extend our hands open and vulnerable and by extension our hearts. It is in this place that we become community. A linking of arms and hearts begins here in the vulnerability of asking, of listening, of sharing and being seen. It has taken both Daniel and I by surprise. Community. It’s humbling. It’s a little overwhelming and it’s amazing.

If you, dear reader, are one of the souls who has linked arms with us either financially or in prayer…please know that we are grateful to the core. If you find yourself a casual observer reading through this little missive with a detached coolness, welcome future friend! We are thankful for every single one of you and do not take your presence at this table of community lightly.

In parting with you for now I leave you with these verses to ponder. Thank you for making time and space for coffee and treats.

“Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous. Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another. Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him. Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in a time of trouble, but commune with God at all times.” Passion Translation Romans 12:9-12

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