Dear praying friends,

Merry Christmas! We are praying that your holiday is full of the peace and joy of our Savior, the Word become Flesh, who came to dwell among us!

As we were speaking at Crown College last year, we communicated the importance of the commission Jesus gives his disciples at the end of the gospel of John. He tells them, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) How did Jesus come? The Word became flesh, and pitched his tent among us! (John 1:14)

When we look at our work, so much of it is incarnational in nature - as we "pitch our tents" in our neighborhood(s) - both where we live and where we work.

Last Wednesday night at our monthly worship service, we were playing and singing some Christmas carols. At the end of our time, a young lady who is here from a different country, volunteering at a local state church supported institute that works with people with disabilities, came shyly through the door, and asked if she could join us. She is a Christ-follower and said, "I have been praying for a group of Christians in this neighborhood."

These are conversations that are happening because we have pitched our tent in Germany!

Here are some ways you can pray for us this week:

1. Holidays are times when we really miss family. Pray for us!
2. Our whole office will have a little downtime between Christmas and New Year's, which will provide some needed rest after several months of hard pushing as we try to finish 2025 well. Pray for it to be a good time of recharging.
3. Pray for us to have some good conversations with our neighbors in the next couple of weeks. Many of them will also be taking time off from work, so we will see them more in the neighborhood.

Thanks for your prayers!

mike