Newsletters

March 2001

Support Success

Support has gone incredibly well! As of the writing of this newsletter we have raised close to $1000 of monthly support and have only a few hundred dollars yet to raise. We hope to be completely done by the end of April. This will allow us to come into next fall on solid financial footing that will allow us to focus most of our energy on ministering to students. This should also prevent us from taking time off campus for some time to come.

Support was not something we wanted to do at first, but God has been very faithful to us. We see His hand in our situation and realize we are exactly where He wants us to be. We are again learning what it means to trust Him and believe in Him for His provision. How greatly He has blessed us!

We have been greatly encouraged by your prayers and concern for us during this time! You are all so encouraging to us—thanks for being a part of our team!

$978/month

Needed:

$430/month

New Ardle on the way!

Andrew is going to be a big brother! We are expecting our second child around August 27. We hope to find out in a couple weeks whether it is a boy or girl. We were surprised last time and that was kind of fun, but this time we want to know.

Shelly is doing very well and has not experienced much nausea. She is just beginning to show.

As always, we need to trust God’s timing with this. Shelly is going to be very pregnant during the hot summer. The due date is also only a few days before school starts in the fall, which is the busiest time of the year for me in ministry.

We are very excited for our coming addition and also a little apprehensive. Just when we feel like we’re beginning to get this parenting thing down we will have another one. We are also glad that this one will be close in age to Andrew, because there is a greater chance they will be close.

We have a girl’s name picked out but have yet to land on a boy’s name. Feel free to send along any suggestions.

Daytona Spring Break

I (Nate) just returned from a spring break trip to Daytona Beach, Florida. I was joined by three of the other staff on our team and 52 students from Michigan.

We had a great week! The purpose of the week was for the students to stretch themselves in the area of evangelism. We spent most afternoons on the beach having conversations with people about Christ. We used a variety of approaches. Sometimes we asked them to answer questions on a spiritual interest survey. Other times we just started talking with them about God. We also tried to be a little creative by getting others to join with us in games of football, ultimate Frisbee, or beach volleyball. Some of our best conversations came from the relationships we developed during these games.

While playing volleyball a few of us were able to meet other Michigan students who had come down for spring break, who were not a part of our group. We had opportunities to share Christ with most of these students.

Two of our guys met a couple of teenagers who had run away from home. They had driven down to Daytona hoping to get jobs for the spring break rush. They had no money and nowhere to live. Our guys had a chance to buy dinner for them and share with them what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. They did not come to Christ but were greatly touched by the love our guys showed them.

Our students were impacted by their interaction with each other as much as their interaction with people on the beach. Many friendships were made and strengthened during the week.

We had a sharing time the last night we were there, and many of them opened up about what God was doing in their lives. One of our gals shared how she was struck by the quality of our guys and would never settle again for guys who do not have a strong walk with God. Two of our guys also shared about medical problems they are dealing with. It was great to see the rest of the students rally around these guys, praying for them and encouraging them.

For me it was a great week to spend lots of time with the students. This was especially good since I am not on campus this semester. I was up late every night, having fun and taking part in many significant conversations.

I (Shelly) spent spring break with Andrew in Ohio. Not quite as warm as Florida! We had a great chance to visit family and some friends whom I hadn’t seen in up to 7 years. We put over 800 miles on the car! Andrew did very well in spite of missing many naps. His aunts and uncles and grandparents were very excited to see him! And he took advantage of many opportunities to steal my french fries!

Nights Nate was up past 1am during Spring Break   6

Nights Nate was up past 1am in the past year   7

IBC root beers consumed by four men in one night   12

Hours driving to Daytona Beach   21

Number using one bathroom on one bus for 12 straight hours on the way back to Ann Arbor  52

Miles Shelly put on our car during her week in Ohio   815

Miles put on our rental van on our Daytona trip   2507

Andrew’s Update

I am one year-old now! I took my first steps over spring break. Mommy wanted me to wait until Daddy came home, but all my relatives needed to be impressed. I’m holding off on walking really well, though because Mommy said when I can walk I’ll have to start picking up my toys. I think she does a pretty good job of that without my help.

Mommy and Daddy tell me I’ll soon have a brother or sister. I’ll get to have a big boy bed then! I can’t wait to show the baby the ropes around here! And my cat, Shady, is in real trouble now!

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