Summer 2025: Formation, Friendship, and Faithful Presence
The rhythm of our Summer 2025 ministry felt slower and more reflective than some seasons, yet deeply formative in ways we didn’t fully anticipate at the outset. It was a summer marked by listening, learning, shared leadership, and renewed joy—both in ministry and in our family life.
June: Space to Reflect and Reorient
June offered a much-needed pause. With the older kids away at camp, Loren and I traveled with Judah to New Mexico, using the quieter pace to reflect, plan, and reprioritize. These moments of space—away from packed schedules and constant demands—allowed us to pray, talk, and listen carefully for the Lord’s leading in the months ahead. It was a gentle reminder that discernment often requires margin.
Early July in Oklahoma: Shared Leadership and Gospel Imagination
In early July, we traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Loren and I led another Welcoming International Neighbors training at South Tulsa Baptist Church. Several Mesa Global colleagues and dear friends joined us, making the experience especially rich. Together, we introduced the training, invited teammates into leadership roles, trained new facilitators, and spent time reflecting on how the curriculum could be refined to become even more effective.
My favorite moments during these trainings always come when the ideas begin to sink in—when people lean toward one another around tables and start sharing concrete ideas about how they might get involved, whom they could invite into friendship, and what new opportunities they see for gospel-centered relationships. Those conversations are often where imagination awakens and ministry begins to take shape.
Late July in Colorado: A New Season of Formation
Later in July, we traveled to Colorado, where the focus of the trip centered on Loren’s new season of equipping and training. Earlier this year, the Lord surprised us with an incredible gift: Loren received a full-ride scholarship to pursue an MA in Mental Health and Christian Counseling at Colorado Christian University. The program’s psychology department was founded by Dr. Larry Crabb, whose work has shaped generations of Christian counselors and ministry leaders.
During this trip, Loren participated in her first in-person intensive—what the program calls a residency. After the first day, she turned to me and said, “I think I found my people.” She has loved her courses so far and feels deeply affirmed in this calling. Loren’s hope is that this training will allow her to serve those who often lack access to counseling—particularly refugees and families serving overseas—helping them pursue greater freedom, wholeness, and peace.
While Loren was in class, the kids and I spent time adventuring in the mountains and reconnecting with friends and supporters. One unexpected joy from the trip was watching the kids begin to genuinely enjoy hiking—a small but meaningful win that I’m eager to build on in future seasons.
Where Faith Took Root in Ordinary Moments
Looking back, Summer 2025 was not defined by scale or spectacle, but by faithful presence—learning, teaching, listening, and walking alongside others in ordinary but meaningful ways. We were intentional to spend time just being together. Sometimes that was in the minivan driving, singing songs or listening to stories. Other times it was playing in the river or building a fire. We are grateful for the Lord’s steady guidance in this season and for the friends, churches, and partners who continue to walk with us. Our prayer is that our children see and experience the Lord’s grace in these times and moments.
As always, thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity make these moments possible, and we look forward with hope to what the Lord will continue to unfold in the months ahead.
