Closing the Chapter on the Last 12 Months

What a month, heh? Rather than my Decembers being insanely busy and frenzied like they used to be, they’ve become full … the good kind of full … and rich. I’m so thankful to finally be learning to rest in the moment, respond to circumstances rather than react to them, and accomplish tasks while “being” rather than rewarding myself with being after all has been done. Can you relate?

This month’s highlights included …

• facilitating my 100th debrief!!! Three sweet days in the presence of God with some willing, teachable, honest Jesus-followers. It was a gift to me to spend holy time with them.
• our annual GWO board meeting during which we made major decisions about giving to the ten missionaries we support monthly. Because many of you have contributed to Get the Word Out so charitably, we were able to bless our missionaries with generous Christmas gifts. THANK YOU for trusting us with your donations so that we can honor the Lord of Abundance by giving liberally.
• coffee, meals, concerts, and walks shared with friends and family, former students, missionaries who are in town for the holidays, fellow ministry leaders, and donors. Precious memories made …
• teaching about Cultivating Joy at The Lookout Church. Love that community!
• hosting in my home — I so enjoy the whole process: cooking, preparing a hospitable atmosphere, creating a place of safety and comfort for people to come and rest, welcoming the Holy Spirit’s presence among us.
• laughter, gift-giving, great food, stories, memories, games, conversations, worship, movies, and so much more with my dear family.

Annual Debrief

Some of you know that I host an annual group debrief in my home every January. It’s a time when a few people get together to sit with Jesus and reflect on the previous year, ask Him pertinent questions, take note of specific events, blessings, joys, and losses. We don’t share these things aloud, but take three hours alone with the Lord … in a group setting. I facilitate the process and provide the format and questions, etc. and give a bit of guidance. It’s simply a set-apart time for you to ruminate over the past year and look forward to the next one with Him. That said, I have four openings for this free event!

This year’s debrief is Saturday, January 10, 9 AM – 12 noon. If you are in the area and would like to attend, let me know ASAP. You’re welcome to join us!

Fundraising … Friend-raising

In the missions world, we prefer to think about fundraising through the lens of relationship building. Rather than just raising money, we’re developing friendships with like-minded, like-hearted people. At our core, we at Get the Word Out create partnerships with others who want to grow stronger in the Word and the Spirit and who want to contribute toward the health of ministry leaders. It’s a win-win: because we are friends with our supporters, they invest in what God is doing through us, and we invest in them and their walk with the Lord.

Why am I bringing this up? First, to express a Huge Thank You to those of you who have invested in my life and ministry in so many ways! In the next few weeks, I will send an update on what God has accomplished through GWO in 2025.

And, I’d like to invite the rest of you to invest in Get the Word Out financially. During the past two years, we have lost significant financial support for a variety of reasons. We want to continue to monetarily support missionaries and provide pastoral visits, give scholarships to ministry leaders who can’t afford a debrief, and publish Bible study resources and books.

Will you please consider contributing to Get the Word Out financially so we can continue to minister in these ways? I’d love to have a conversation with you about various giving possibilities and the heart behind what we do. Thanks!

That’s it for 2025, friends!

May the God of new beginnings grant you a New Year of love and peace.

Mary Jean :)

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Ways to partner: Give online at getthewordout.cc/give · Venmo: @Mary Jean Powers / Get the Word Out · By check: Get the Word Out, 4210 Vulcan Creek Dr. Unit 208, Loveland, CO 80538.