Nelson Newsletter - December 2023

 

“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” Eph. 1:5 NLT

To God’s Adopted Children,

Here is a beautiful truth - You were adopted into God’s family!  Three of our grandchildren were adopted. It is a special way of saying, “We chose you to be in our family. We wanted you to be our child and you will always be a member of our family!”

That is what God did with us. He chose us before the foundation of the world. If you are His child, it is because He wanted you! There are many others out there waiting to be adopted, but they do not know about God’s offer or how to respond to His love. That is where you and I come in. We are taking this Good News to those in darkness who are lost, broken, and unloved. 

Nelson Thanksgiving Almost all our family was able to come for Thanksgiving. We had 35 in all! The day was filled with feasting, fellowship, playing wiffle ball, ultimate Frisbee, watching football, and going on walks. I was encouraged by the love I saw among our family. Danelle and I give God all the credit! Before the evening meal, I asked, “Who would like to thank the Lord for us?” Immediately our 10-year-old granddaughter, Corabelle, responded,  “I would!” She prayed a heartfelt prayer that touched all our hearts. That was indicative of our day. God is good!

Christmas 2023 It has been God’s plan from eternity past that we would be adopted into His family through His Son, Jesus Christ. Joy to the world! What a wonderful season of the year Christmas is. We celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ! We are praying that during your Christmas season God would calm your heart and give you His peace so that you can hear His Spirit speak to your heart of His deep love for you!

  Merry Christmas!

Prayer & Praise

1. Nelson Family – Christ Followers Danelle and I praise God that He has adopted our children, their spouses, and most of our grandchildren into His family - the church of Jesus Christ! We continually pray for their parents to be filled with wisdom, love, patience, and the truth of God’s word so they can model Christ-centered lives and marriages before their kids. We ask God to adopt all our grandchildren into His family! After they have repented and trusted Christ, we help them grow as His disciples. All these parents and children need the grace of God. Would you please join us in praying for them? Thank you!

2. House Churches Please pray for the churches we serve in Atlanta, Illinois, Portsmouth, and our new friends in Richmond, to grow in their devotion to Christ, their love for each other, and their desire to see new people adopted into their spiritual families in 2024. Thank you!

3. Support Prayerfully consider sending in a year-end gift for our work in the gospel. You can become one of our monthly partners, if you aren’t already. Either way, please visit: https://reliant.org/steve.nelson to find out how. Your gifts will enable us to be used by God to adopt many 2024. Thank you very much to each of you who supported us this past year!

 

Working with you in God’s adoption service,

Steve & Danelle  

  

                 

                                                                                                                                                                            

wwww.reliant.org 11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832    www.gcmnelson.com

 

Nelson Newsletter - November 2023

 

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”  1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Dear Friends,

In the verse above, Peter was instructing fellow believers to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope they had. What did he mean? How do we follow this instruction today? First and foremost, Christ was to be their hope – their source of life! When this is true, the believer stands out among those whose hope is in other things or other people. When we chose to allow Jesus to run our lives, to be our Lord, then we will care about others and want them to come to know Him as well. We will be prepared to explain why we have peace, joy, and contentment.

It's never about the _______... tire repair, groceries, or the dentist. You fill in the blanks for your life. It’s always about the people! Don’t miss the people!!!

                                                 Jose', Tork, & Eugene reading my testimony tract

This week for me, it was not about the light fixture. I went to Lowes to purchase a $5 light fixture for our basement. I was checking out and there were three employees there and no other customers. A few weeks ago, I edited and reprinted my testimony tract to pass out. Doing this helps me have lost people on my mind (to be prepared) and stay active in sharing the Good News with them. I offered Jose’ my tract in English or Spanish and explained what it was. He enthusiastically asked for the English version. I only had a Spanish version left to give Tork, who could not read Spanish. So, I asked Jose’ if he would mind if we switched, since he could read the Spanish version. He was fine with that. As I was walking out to my truck, I remembered that I had more English copies in the console. I returned with an English copy for Jose’ to see all three of them huddled around reading it! I was excited that God was speaking to them! I was thankful that I was prepared for this opportunity. Please join me in praying for God to prepare their hearts to come to Christ, and for me to meet them again. I encourage you to be ready to give an account for the hope you have in Christ! I would be happy to help you write your testimony and get it printed.

Maggie and Ivan Our Ukrainian friends brought their son to go to school in Georgia. They stayed with us for a few days while they were here. It was a time of mixed emotions. Hearing about the war in Ukraine, from people living in the middle of the trauma, was heartbreaking. They continue to hear the air raid sirens and flee to bomb shelters, sometimes hearing explosions in Kiev where they live. Their faith in God is real! It was also encouraging to hear about the hunger for the gospel in Ukraine. God works amid hardship, maybe even more when He has our attention!

 

 

Nelson Thanksgiving We are happy that almost all of our family will be here for Thanksgiving – 35 in all! At every table, each person will share what they are thankful for. Thanking God for what He has done, prepares us to trust Him what He wants to do in the future. Please pray that all of our hearts would be prepared to love and serve one another!

   Pastors & Church Leaders Praying

Pastors & Leaders Conference. Thank you for praying for our leadership meeting in Charlotte a few weeks ago. We always enjoy catching up with one another personally, hearing news from each church (both the positive and the challenging), praying together (photo), doing church business for our region, and hearing seminars on helpful subjects. My seminar, “Finish the Race,” went well. (Please send me an email if you want to listen to the audio and watch the Power Point as well.) The questions at the end of the teaching always let me know that hearts and minds were touched. We seek to encourage each other in the work of making disciples in our cities and around the world. Collaborating in the mission with others of like heart is a blessing!  

 Prayer & Praise

1. Atlanta Church Ask God to motivate us with His love to build relationships with unbelievers and to be prepared to share the gospel of Christ with them. Pray for the Lowes’ employees too.

2. Illinois Church David and Stephanie asked us to pray for Kofi and his family and Kerianna and Jeffery’s family. Both families participate in the gatherings, and both need the Lord Jesus.

3. Virginia Church There has been some turnover among the believers in Portsmouth, but there seems to be new life – fresh faith because of the newcomers. Please pray for love and unity.

4. Pastors & Leaders Conference Pray for all the people in the Southeast who are leading the churches we are associated with. They need protection, encouragement, courage, compassion, wisdom, and faith in God to equip the saints to do the work of disciple making for God’s glory. Your prayers prepare them to face the challenges with faith in God! 

5. Please consider a special year-end gift for our work in the gospel. You may want to become a monthly partner. Either way, please visit: reliant.org/steve.nelson to help us be prepared to make disciples in 2024. Thank you!!

Yours to be prepared,

Steve & Danelle

 

               

                                                                                          

wwww.reliant.org 11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832 

 www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - October 2023

 “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away…So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Dear Members of Christ’s Body,

You have heard the saying, “Time waits for no man.” We are here on the planet for a short visit and then we pass off into eternity. Birthdays are one of the reminders of our mortality. They are opportunities to evaluate our lives to make the most of the time we have on earth!

Our oldest grandson, James Nelson, turns 15 tomorrow! We celebrated his birthday yesterday. I remember when he was born. Now he is a young man - 185lbs, strong, wise, and kind. The photos are James at birth with his father, Scott, as a baby with his older cousin, Jasper, and yesterday at his 15^th birthday party with his grandparents.  My how time flies!

                              

Raising Godly Children Alex and Oksana are members of our church, and they are part of a Slavic church in Atlanta. They invited Danelle and I to their house, along with couples from their church who wanted to grow in their parenting skills and be encouraged. We had delightful time of fellowship, discussed what the Bible says about teaching children by our example, and answered their questions. Grace and Ward attended and offered insight as well. Being godly parents takes the grace of God, the Holy Spirit’s power, humility, and the love and support of the other families in the body of Christ

Pastor Rodney Hall. Rodney has been a very good friend of our family since we lived in Dacula, Georgia, over 25 years ago. He is the pastor of Sanctuary Baptist Church in Loganville. His church has faithfully supported our ministry for decades. Rodney’s passion for lost people, and love for his family and the church is contagious! This week we met for lunch. I always leave our time overflowing with joy and more motivated to share Jesus Christ with the world!

Prayer & Praise

1. Atlanta Church Ask God to keep us from becoming comfortable and complacent with our relationship with Him. May our love for God and others increase and abound by His Spirit!

2. Illinois Church David and Stephanie asked that we pray for the Roberts family to be open to the gospel. They have been meeting with them and are open to the gospel. David has been playing basketball with Kofi and Paul and spending time telling them about Jesus. Pray for them to turn to the Lord as well!

3. Regional Pastor’s Conference I travel to Charlotte November 3-4 for our regional pastors’ conference. I will be teaching a seminar titled, “Finish The Course,” about finishing our life being faithful to God. Pray for our time to be led by the Spirit and life-transforming!

Yours to make the most of our time,

Steve & Danelle

PS. It’s Not About The Tire! I went to our local Toyota dealership to get my flat tire fixed. Daniel is the service manager who has helped us for years. I greeted him, “Hey Daniel, how’s it going?” He solemnly replied, “Not to good.” I sympathetically asked, “I’m sorry to hear that. What’s wrong?” He went on to tell me how he got divorced the day before after 30 years of marriage. He was completely caught off guard. He told me how he could not eat or sleep and wondered what he would do next. One of the other service managers came up and showed him photos of her single girlfriends. After she left, I said, “That is the last thing you need! You need to heal first. We talked about his situation at length. Then I suggested he read my book, Secure In An Insecure World.” After discussing the contents with him, he ordered a copy right there! Remember, it is not about the tire! Please pray for Daniel to find the love of his life – Jesus!      

Lessons to Learn:

1. Build friendships with unbelievers and be ready to tell them about the hope in Jesus when they go through hard times. 

2. Have gospel literature available to give to them.         

3. Pray for God to prepare your lost friends, as well you, for the receptive times of brokenness.                                                                                                                         

PSS.  If you wish to support our work, please visit: https://reliant.org/steve.nelson to give a special gift or become a monthly partner. Thank you!!

 

                                                                       

wwww.reliant.org 

11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832    

Our blog with the past newsletters and other good resources! www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - September 2023

 

 “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free… I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  Jesus from John 8:32 & 14:6  

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, 

UGA Outreach A few weeks ago, I met my good friend, Rich Suplita, to share the truth of the gospel with University of Georgia students. We had several quality conversations with them about how to know Christ personally. Some students were too busy to stop, while others showed genuine interest and interacted with us.

I gave Sarah (above) a copy of my book, Secure In An Insecure World, to give to her non-Christian roommate, Brittany. She was excited about having that tool to help her roommate come to Jesus! Pray for the truth in my book to speak to her heart!

I engaged in a debate with a few students with the socialist organization. They insisted that capitalism promoted greed and unfair treatment of the poor. I challenged them, “Are there not greedy socialists?” Then I spoke God’s truth to them, “Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements.”” I explained, “The problem is not our form of government as much as it is our hearts. We need our hearts to be changed! We are all greedy and only Jesus can set us free.” My words seemed to resonate with them. God was speaking truth to their hearts!

During lunch I gave a young Hispanic woman a copy of the same book, in Spanish. Yesenia is a server at a local restaurant. Rich has been building a friendship with her and sharing the gospel with her using his limited knowledge of Spanish. So, when she received my book in her language, she was elated and wanted me to sign her copy.  Please pray for these women and the students who heard the truth to repent and come to Christ. Ask God to continue   using Rich!

Illinois Update The Bible teaches us not to make light of small beginnings, “For who has despised the day of small things?”  Everything starts small. Oak trees, businesses, families, and churches all start off small. House churches start small, grow, and then multiply to stay small. It takes a different mindset and a certain amount of security for someone to start house churches. David and Stephanie are just those kinds of people! They love the Lord and have a passion to help others. The house church setting is a conducive environment for building intimate friendships and making disciples. That is exactly what they have been doing recently with a young couple they met. These new friends have not placed their trust in Jesus yet, but they are interested in spiritual things and attracted by the life they see in the Shirleys! They have been coming over to the Shirley’s home for fellowship, and discussions about current social issues where they heard God’s truth and the gospel.

Mother’s Health Mother is back home after breaking her hip, having hip replacement surgery, and several weeks in a rehab facility. We thank God for answering prayers for her recovery and keeping her encouraged through this difficult time. Her desire to trust God has been evident to all!  

                                                     Prayer & Praise

1. Rich & UGA Students Pray for Sarah, Britany, Yesenia, and all the students who heard the truth to embrace The Truth – Jesus! Pray for Rich and his wife, Mary, as they minster to students.

2. Atlanta Church Pray for us to stay active in the gospel – building friendships and sharing truth with neighbors and co-workers. Pray for solid, loving marriages and families where Christ in seen.

3. Shirleys In Illinois Pray the new couple David and Stephanie are spending time with to become Christians. Ask God to work miracles in people’s lives who are open to hearing the truth.

4. Mother Please pray for mother (she’s 97) to be safe and to stay encouraged in the Lord as she adjusts to the challenges of aging. She is a tremendous blessing to our family and her friends!

 We are thankful for you,

Steve & Danelle                                                                                                              

               

 

                                                                                                                                                                                        

wwww.reliant.org 11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832    www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - August 2023

 

“But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” 1 Corinthians14:24-25

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,  

NYC Granddaughters Jasper (16), and Emilia Dewey (11), both came to stay with us for 3 weeks in July. Their mother, Julie, was here part of the time, but needed to return for work. It was special! Jasper is visiting colleges since she will be a senior this year. Yikes! Do we really have a grandchild that old? She visited Vanderbilt with her mother and Danelle while she was here. And she is learning to drive - braving the Atlanta traffic numerous times! She did volunteer work for both of our son’s businesses, a local church, and even shadowed an epidemiologist friend in the hospital one day. Her sister and Granddad had several deep spiritual conversations that were super encouraging to us! Please pray for all three of them to experience God’s grace and wisdom for college, new school for Emilia, and Julie’s parenting in the months ahead.

Illinois Update David met Paul playing basketball (one of David’s passions!). He invited him for dinner where they enjoyed getting to know one another. They had a good discussion about how to know Christ. Pray for Paul to get saved! Stephanie has also been visiting new (they are all new to her!) coffee shops to start friendships and share the gospel - if they don’t know the Lord. If they are believers, she invites them to visit their home for fellowship. David loves his new job at the university and Stephanie started a new year of home schooling their four children.

Virginia Church The saints in Virginia continue to take responsibility for their growth in Christ! The Shirleys remain in touch to show love, encourage their faith, and to pray for them.

Atlanta Church Last Sunday we had a couple visit us for the first time. The husband is the son of our old friends. Danelle remembers spending time with him and his mother when he was a toddler! He contacted me on Messenger to ask for help in his relationship with God. After I shared some verses related to his struggles, I invited him to join our church gathering. They came and he felt safe enough to pour out his heart during the meeting. He was not sure of his salvation. We all listened, asked him questions, and several shared how they came to know Christ to help him understand grace. He confessed his sin and asked Jesus to be his Savior right there! It was amazing and beautiful to see the Holy Spirit at work in his heart using all the saints! Read the verse again at the top of this letter.  “God is really among you!” 

                                        Prayer & Praise

1. Atlanta Church Praise God for His body working together to share the gospel with compassion! Pray for the new couple to make progress in living by faith in God, and for us to love them well.

2. Virginia Church Pray for these believers to develop their own convictions, support one another, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead them, use them, and encourage them. Ask God to give the Shirleys grace and insight on how to minister to them from a distance.

3. Shirleys In Illinois Praise God for David and Stephanie’s heart for others! Pray for Paul to be saved, more new friendships, and people to come to the Lord Jesus through this family.

4. Jasper Please pray for Jasper to be led by God to wisely choose which university to attend.

 

Yours in Christ’s unchanging love,

Steve & Danelle

                                                                                                                             

 

       

                                                                                                                                                           

wwww.reliant.org 

11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32832

 www.gcmnelson.com