Nelson Newsletter - September 2024

 

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13  

Dear Ministry Partners, 

I hope you are doing well and encouraged by our Father’s love! Last month I wrote about being prepared to share Christ with unbelievers. This month I focused on plans.  God has awesome plans for each of us! He says we must pray and seek Him to know His plans. Notice that the goal is to find Him! Find God and your find His plan!

God’s plan is to: 1. Save us through repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 17:20-21). 2. He begins to transform us after the new birth and receiving the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2) We grow our relationship through faith and obedience.  His plan is to transform our character to be like His Son (Ephesians 4:11-16). Our transformation is part of His plan to use us to bring more people to faith Christ. All of this brings Him glory.

Carbondale Church I get excited when I see God’s plan of transforming lives taking place! Last month we wrote about Keianna’s baptism. This week she volunteered to host their gathering!  Stephanie and David asked that we continue praying for her husband Jeffrey to come to Christ. He lost his new job with the city police department, but David helped him find a position with the campus police! God is revealing Himself to this young man!

Atlanta House Church Danelle and I attended our annual neighborhood Chili Cookoff last week. While we were walking over, we asked God to open opportunities to share Christ with receptive people. He did! Here is how His plan unfolded…

Steve is a neighbor we have known casually for a few years. He came over to talk with me at the food table and shared about his recent search for God. I could sense that something was deeply troubling him, which had fueled his recent desire to find God. He was seriously searching.

Steve was raised Catholic, so he asked his priest what he should do. He told him to read the Gospels. But I sensed that he had not found a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus yet, so I said, "Do you know that God is also searching for you? Yes, He is! He loves you and wants you to find Him. I wrote a book about God searching for us called, Granddad's Animal Adventures. It has 24 short stories about God revealing Himself to us through His creation. You may want to purchase a copy." Steve quickly responded, "That sounds perfect! My six-year-old daughter and I are finishing up a book now. I will order a copy so we can read it together."

A few days later, God put it on my heart to take Steve a copy. He was not at home, so I wrote him a note in the book and left it by his back door. Here is his text, “Got your book yesterday! Thank you so much. I’m excited to share it with Didi. I was just reading your lovely note to her which you wrote on the flyleaf. Almost out of nowhere, she started asking me all kinds of questions about God on Saturday. We are wrapping up our current book, so this is right on time. We are looking forward to enjoying it!”

 (Danelle and I captured this double rainbow recently. It reminded us that God keeps all of His promises to fulfill His plans! Genesis 9:8-17, Numbers 23:19)

 

 Prayer and Praise

Steve & Didi Ask God to use my book, which contains a clear presentation of the gospel, to save them. Pray for more interaction with them soon. Ask God to use you to share Christ. He will!

Atlanta Church Pray for God to equip us for ministry as we read and discuss Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Pray that we would all have unbelievers on our hearts.

Portsmouth Church Stephanie and David need God’s grace to raise their four children and love one another. They want to be good examples for the church to follow. Ask God to save Jeffrey!    

Pastors Conference Please pray for our conference October 24-26 in Jacksonville to be led by the Spirit so that needs would be met, everyone would be edified, and our relationships strengthened. Pray for us to know Him better so that we will discern His plans for our churches. Thank you!

Planning to see Jesus,

  Steve & Danelle               

 

 

                                                                                                             

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Nelson Newsletter - August 2024

 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil… and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:10-11,15

Dear Saints, 

I have heard these statements hundreds of times, “It must be spiritual warfare!” Or “It seems like a spiritual attack!” My reply has been, “When is it not? We are constantly in a war.” There are no time outs. We have no peace treaty with our enemy. Therefore, we must prepare each day by putting on the full armor of God. We can not leave off one part of the armor and expect to survive, just as a soldier would not leave his helmet or gun back at camp. Preparation means being ready for anything and everything that we sincerely expect to happen.

Part of our preparation for spiritual warfare is to have the gospel on our minds and in our hearts ready to share with unbelievers. Always and in every situation – prepared! How? Preparation begins in our hearts. It comes from experiencing God’s love each day. His love for us was demonstrated at the cross. When we live loved by God, we will want to love lost people because He does! The best way to love lost people is to tell them about God’s forgiveness and the new life Christ offers them! “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23 Are you prepared to proclaim the gospel of peace? Here are some people who are active in spreading the gospel…

“My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long.” Psalm 71:15

 Carbondale Church David and Stephanie befriended Kerianna and her husband Jeffrey last year. Kerianna chose to make Jesus her Lord and Savior several months ago! Last week she decided to get baptized, even though the thought of going under the water scared her! 

Pray for Kerianna to continue growing in Christ.  They think Jeffrey may also be saved now. Please keep praying for their marriage and family!

Atlanta House Church God has been opening our eyes to the opportunities to share Christ every day with those we meet. We have asked Him to prepare our hearts to sincerely care about others. This has often led to sharing our testimonies and the gospel. 

A few days ago I asked Miguel (he is about 50) “What do you plan to do for the holidays? Will you stay here or go home (to Mexico)?” His reply saddened me, “I don’t have any family here. I have not seen my family in Mexico in 12 years. I am going home in November to get some dental work done.” I went on to share the entire gospel with him as he listened intently and responded to my questions. Ask God to save this lonely man! He too has Secure In An Insecure World in Spanish, which contains the gospel.

My prayer for you is to share Christ by 1. Asking God for a heart for others. 2. To boldly share the gospel. Write your testimony tract, take it with you and give it to everyone you can. Carry gospel literature (New testament, Gospel of John, and Christian books) to give to open people. Share your testimony. Build friendships, serve them, and share Christ with them. God has divine appointments for you!  Pray for lost people by name and expect God to use you!! He will!!!

Prayer & Praise

Our Family. Jasper is at Tulane in New Orleans! After months of visiting numerous colleges, sending out dozens of applications, and much prayer, she chose Tulane. They have a very good engineering school, and she is on the track team with a significant athletic scholarship. Her classes started today! Please pray for her as she wants to find serious Christians to fellowship, and that she would   be a strong witness to her 3 suitemates and her teammates on the track team. God has prepared her for such a time as this! Now she needs our continued intercession. Pray too for Julie and her sister, Emilia, to grow in Christ as they adjust to life without Jasper around.

Portsmouth Church The saints in this church are growing in their commitment to God and one another! Stephanie continues to have a rich time studying the Bible virtually with some of the wives. Your prayers are effective!         

Preparing to see Jesus,

  Steve & Danelle               

  

 

 

 wwww.reliant.org 

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

www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - July 2024

 “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation.” Psalm 68:19

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”      Galatians 6:2

Dear Saints, 

Burdens Have you ever lifted ceramic tile? It’s heavy!  Danelle and I purchased boxes of tile for our home. It was laying in the back of my truck all night while I tried to sleep - dreading the task of unloading it the next day. I prayed and asked God to help me. He sent a group of four men “to help” me carry it into the house. They actually carried all the tiles into the house! They saved my back! They bore my burden! These men were my team that day. Praise the Lord!

What heavy burdens do you dread lifting? Your burdens may be financial, health, a strained relationship, or a lost friend’s soul weighing on your heart. Are you trying to carry this burden alone? Do you have a team to bear your burden like the four men who rescued me?

Teamwork Our team is the church! God commands us to bear one another’s burdens in the same way that Jesus bore our burdens. He died for our sin burden,  which we created, and we could not bear. Jesus modeled the church for us.  For us to be the church, we must be with others who care about our burdens and want to help us. Then we must openly share our burdens if others are going to be able to help us.

“Teamwork Makes The Dream Work”

Jesus built a team. He was a team-player, even though He could do everything perfectly on His own. His goal was to make disciples - disciples who were team players like Him. He worked with the Holy Spirit and the Father in perfect unity. Teamwork! The church, which is His body (you and I) is to work together as well. Unity. Teamwork! We practice teamwork when we bear one another’s burdens. This requires each of us to continually making Jesus Lord of our lives. We must trust and obey Him by relying on the Holy Spirit’s power. Are you part of a team? I pray that you have a church family where you are bearing one another’s burdens.

                                      The Morris family @ our recent church gathering

 

Prayer & Praise

Atlanta Church Ask God to increase our compassion for one another to bear one another’s burdens when together and in prayer when apart. Pray for us to prayerfully bear the burdens of others - including our lost family, friends, and co-workers who need God’s salvation.

Carbondale & Portsmouth Churches A new believer in David and Stephanie’s church in Carbondale plans to be baptized soon! Pray for her growth. One couple in Portsmouth has returned to fellowship recently. Pray for each person to grow in their relationship with God, to build into one another, and to be confident without having a pastor to preach to them every week.

Our Family We had Julie, Jasper, and Emilia come stay with us last week. Jasper still has several good options for college. Please pray for God’s leading. Pray for our 7 children, their spouses, and our 22 grandchildren to be on mission with Christ and as team of believers!

          

Emilia & Emilia both share the same birthday - as well as the same name!                                                                    

                        The Newtons, Evans, Danelle & I  celebrating a few birthdays  

America Pray for revival in our nation! Our church has been studying Hosea together. It reminds us that any nation that lives in rebellion against God, even Israel, will suffer the consequences of their sin. Our country needs the salvation that Christ died and rose again to give us!

Yours in God’s grace,

  Steve & Danelle          

       

                                                                                                                                      

wwww.reliant.org 

Reliant 

11002 Lake Hart Dr, Suite 100, 

Orlando, FL 32832                                                         

www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - June 2024

 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” Matthew 28:18

 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Colossians 1:28

Dear Saints,  

Granddaughter’s Graduation Jasper Newton is our oldest grandchild. After many years of hard work and faithfulness, she graduated from a prestigious high school in New York! Danelle and I were able to go up and participate in the graduation last week. We enjoyed celebrating her achievement after years of hard work. Have you noticed how our faith gets stronger after years of prayer and faithfulness we see something come to fruition? Graduation was the culmination of a long-term goal!

Great Commission In a similar way, our Lord gave His disciples a huge goal. He commissioned them to go love lost people and proclaim the gospel to the entire world. He said, “teach them to observe all that I commanded you.” Go make disciples who will make disciples. Multiply! The scope of the mission – the entire world! Wow!

That seems like an overwhelming goal - until we break it down, divide it up, and trust God. I heard this once regarding how to reach a daunting goal. “The only way to eat an elephant, is one bite at a time.” In the same way, “The only way to reach a world with the gospel is one soul at a time.” We can only accomplish this goal if all of us pitch in, trust God to love through us, and boldly share Christ in word and deed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism is more than a simple message. It is a life to live. Jesus said, “Be holy even as I am holy.” It is being Christ-like.  We can eat that elephant if we are controlled by the Holy Spirit! We are eating that elephant! Success requires each of us being committed, patience, perseverance, living godly lives, and seeking God in prayer!

   Prayer and Praise

Atlanta Church Ask God to continue to motivate us with His love to courageously love unbelievers, to develop close relationships, and to engage them in gospel conversations. Pray too for us to have godly marriages and Christ-honoring families to impact our culture.  

Our Family Please pray for our children and their spouses as they seek to raise godly children. Being a godly example of Jesus to our children, as you know, is challenging. They need God's grace!

Carbondale Church David and Stephanie continue to reach out to people in Carbondale. Stephanie recently gave Secure In An Insecure World to a young lady deeply hurt by her parents.  Stephanie said, “She absolutely loves it! Your book has been super encouraging in helping her deal with her pain.” Please pray for healing for this young lady. Pray too for more people to come to Jesus through this church!

Ukraine Our church continues to pray for the war to end in Ukraine with a victory for the defenders fighting for their freedom. As the war drags on, and Russia causes more tragedy and suffering for Ukrainians, it is vital that we stay on our knees and intercede for them. Pray too for the Christians to continue to have faith in God, love others, and share the gospel. Pray for Valarie and Misha, who are leading ministries to wounded soldiers, the widows and children of fallen heroes, and for the gospel to spread in both countries. Thank you!

Yours in God’s grace,

  Steve & Danelle               

 

 

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

Nelson Newsletter - May 2024

 

“When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”            Psalm 27:8

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”           Jeremiah 29:13

 

Dear Saints,

Atlanta House Church Our church has been seeking to know the Lord and deepen our relationship with Him through reading His word and acting on it. We are asking God to help us grow in our love for Him and people. We celebrate each person’s unique part in our seeking God. Barrie turned 71 this month! Recently, members have chosen verses about seeking God for us to read during the week. Then they lead our discussion on Sunday. We also seek the Lord through singing, the Lord’s supper, and praying for one another and unbelievers.

Three Hispanic men worked for us this week. Fernando (photo below), Saul, and little Fernando (that is what they called him), all wanted to read the Spanish version of my book, Secure In An Insecure World. Seguro en un mundo inseguro: cómo encontrar el amor de su vida. The next day, during lunch, we had a deep discussion about how to be saved and why we are eternally secure. It was refreshing to witness them seeking to know the Lord by asking sincere questions!

I also had an amazing conversation with Carter one day. He is a 17-year-old young man who is working for a lumber company. I told him how that I was proud of how hard he was working. Then I mentioned, What Is Better Than Free? Restoring the Lost Work Ethic. He said, “You wrote a book?” I went to my truck to give him a copy, but only had, Granddad’s Animal Adventures. I showed it to him and said, “This book is about how God is seeking to us. He wants a relationship with us.” Carter replied excitedly, “That gives me goosebumps! I have been seeking God! I left my friends who were a bad influence, and now I have four or five good friends who are helping me find God.” After glancing over the book he said, “My nine-year-old sister would love this book!” I said, “Here, please give it to her.” Pray for them to come to Jesus!

 

   Prayer & Praise

Fernando, Saul, Little Fernando, and Carter Ask God to speak to these young people as they read my book. Ask God to help them understand that salvation by grace and not by works.

Illinois & Virginia Churches David and Stephanie asked that we pray for Jeff, a member of the church in Portsmouth, who has some heart problems. They also asked that members of both churches consistently walk with God during the inconsistent summer schedules - consistently read the Word & be in fellowship.

 Our 49^th Anniversary Danelle and I celebrated by going for a walk, going to the movies, and out to dinner. We needed to stay close to home so that Danelle could assist in the birth of Merry’s baby.

Merry & Nathan’s Baby Praise God for a healthy baby girl! Thank you for praying for Merry and her baby, Emilia Alice Evans, who was born May 17^th. Emilia shares a birthday with her 12-year-old cousin, Emilia Dewey Newton! Please pray for the Evans to seek God for grace to adjust to having a new-born along with their two young boys.  Thank you for praying for all these needs!

Seeking Jesus with you,

  Steve & Danelle            

     

 

   wwww.reliant.org

                                                                                                           

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

  www.gcmnelson.com

Nelson Newsletter - April 2024

 

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.”   Philippians 1:3-5

Dear Saints,

For the same reason that Paul was thankful for the Christians in Philippi, we thank God with joy for you – our fellow participants in the gospel! Following Christ, fishing for men, and making disciples is a team activity! We are all essential parts of the body of Christ! God wants each of us to grow and mature in our faith so that we can build up the other members. Nobody should sit on the sidelines and watch the rest of us participate because we need your wholehearted participation in the gospel of Christ!

   We Need YOU!

Atlanta House Church Our church has been participating in the gospel by praying for family, friends, and co-workers to come to Christ. We engage them in gospel conversations as well. Here is a recent opportunity that will encourage you.

Ricky is a local carpenter who is doing some work for us. Yesterday, after we had spoken for a while, He said to me, “I have two young girls, eight and ten, but now I am divorced.” I responded, “I wrote a book about how to have a good marriage. There is even a chapter about how to heal after divorce. Would you like a copy?” He responded enthusiastically, “I would! I really like to read.” I went to my truck and gave him the Spanish version of my book, Secure In An Insecure World. Seguro en un mundo inseguro: cómo encontrar el amor de su vida. He was surprised to receive it and to have it in his own language. Please pray for Ricky and his crew to come to Christ.

You may want to order several copies to have on hand to give away to Hispanics you meet or already know. It is a great tool as it has a clear presentation of the gospel, as well as practical, Biblical help for singles, or single again folks. Here is a link for the Spanish translation: https://tinyurl.com/vaw5yzd8 The English version can also be found on Amazon. Be ready to give an account for the hope that is within you by your participation in the gospel!

Prayer & Praise

Ricky Ask God to speak to him as he reads my book, to save him, his daughters, and to restore his marriage. Pray for his crew to come to Jesus as well.

Ukraine. Please ask God to give the soldiers, their families, the citizens, and the leaders fresh courage and resolve as they fight for freedom against the Russian invaders.  Pray for victory.

Illinois & Virginia Churches David and Stephanie asked that we pray for these two churches:

Portsmouth Pray for health needs that interfere with gathering. More participation (ownership) by meeting in different homes. Pray they would read God’s Word regularly. Finally, ask God to motivate them to look for ways   with their community.

Carbondale Pray they would: 1. stay focused in conversations, 2. think about, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” Phil 4:4 & 3. Be humble.

Church in Richmond   Pray for the families to make close friends. Bryan Rock and Nick Scott and their wives are seeking God for encouraging fellowship and direction for their lives.

Jasper. Our oldest granddaughter, Jasper, will be attending the University of Georgia this fall! God has answered our many prayers!

Merry’s Baby Our youngest daughter, Merry, is due May 12^th. She and Nathan have two sons, Elijah and Caleb, so having a little girl around will be awesome! This little girl was breech, up until yesterday, when she was turned head down in the doctor’s office. Please pray she would stay this way so they can go to the birthing center and have a natural birth. Pray they would have peace through trusting God. Thank you!  

Yours in Jesus,

  Steve & Danelle  

   

                                 Corabelle’s Play     

   

                     Jasper’s visit to UGA campus  

       

              Wilhelmina & Matt - Easter   

      

 

                              

                                                                                                                                     

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