Is this a prayer letter? An email update? Is it required? Is it real?
When I was first "raising support," "building a ministry partnership," "friend raising," and so forth, an encouraging acquaintance bought me a Ray Bolton tape and told me I needed to tell a more gripping story. It was a great song, for sure. I haven't written any of those, but I still remember that one 34 years later. Of course, I don't know if it was real, but I loved the topic and the sentiment.
Over the years, I've written many of these letters, which became emails, though I have managed to avoid doing "social" for fundraising. As you may know all too well, I eventually moved away from the following:
1. Telling you about someone I know that you don't. I try to stick to sharing my own thoughts and telling my own story, with occasional, hopefully respectful exceptions for my immediate family.
2. Asking directly for money. Someone told me that is best done directly, person to person, and after hesitating a lot, I became comfortable with inviting people to partner with us in the ministries to which we are committed.
3. Overlooking our actual lives. I learned that some people were looking for at least a little detail as to what was going on personally. I tend to put this at or near the end ;-). And yes, I know that some of you are only looking for that. Thank you for your patience.
4. Failing to write at all. No one forces me to write (all the more now that we're mainly self-funding our ministry.) Still, writing regularly can be reassuring to people far away that we still exist and we are still pursuing the goals that brought us together. (And to dole out a few tidbits each time about our actual lives ;-).
I also read a lot of these letters from others (mainly as emails.) After all, we are friends with, pray for, and are funding partners with many others in global ministries. Laura probably has her own opinions, but here's what I like:
1. I like to hear the "voices" of each person. We are all unique and I believe God uses us in each other's lives in unique ways. I want to get a sense of that.
2. As you might guess, I like to read between the lines. Reading regular updates gives me a sense of what's changing, what's on people's hearts and minds, and how to relate to them as the unique people they are.
3. I want to know what people need. If everything always sounds great, I assume that might be a filter for what gets included--and what gets left out.
And now you either jumped down here, or read patiently this far, but how and what are we doing?
Laura has had her right arm in a sling for almost a month now, after a shoulder surgery to repair a tendon (it turned out to be completely torn) etc. At the same time she got carpal tunnel surgery--not quite two for one, but easier than doing two separate surgeries. She actually injured this shoulder (and the left, which is waiting its turn) when we first went to Taiwan (or maybe earlier) so she has been living with this injury a very long time. The surgeon is very hopeful and when she starts moving it in the next few weeks we'll begin to have some idea how much improvement she might experience.
As you probably know, Laura is a very active person, so this has been a special discipline. My discipline is to care well for her in this journey. I am learning as I go :-). At this point her biggest challenge is getting good sleep.
Since we haven't been traveling much for ministry this year, our ministry activities have mostly been virtual or local (though some people have also come to us.) In addition to looking for one more good conversation, I get some opportunities to teach and to facilitate small groups.
Laura's leadership of the International Women's Connection here in Colorado Springs has been stretched as her primary partner in that has also had a broken arm and then a broken collar bone as well as family concerns. Other women have been stepping up more as their need for help has become so obvious.
Laura's mom is still living with our daughter and family around the corner, now 92. We are responsible for her care, but deeply grateful that Sarah and John have chosen to partner with us in this so deeply and freely.
As Thanksgiving arrives, we are most grateful that we have our adult kids living in Colorado, and that we are enjoying 5 grandkids, three here and two in Arvada (Denver area.) They are ages 0-6. We can't get enough of them. As you either know or might guess, everything they do as well as their very lives bring us indescribable delight. (Their parents are responsible for managing them and do a great job.)
In the one who keeps us, with love, Steve and Laura
Steve and Laura Spinella
US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920
mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
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