November 2024
Over the past several months, we set an intentional goal for each newsletter: to focus on one central theme—Jesus Christ, our firm foundation. While success stories and updates about TRM are important, we wanted to simplify everything and explain why we do what we do. Without Christ as our foundation, we believe there is no true success story. He is at the center of it all and as we enter this season of thankfulness, we want to take a moment to reflect one last time on what He taught His disciples before He ascended into Heaven.
Picking up nearly where we left off last month after Jesus spoke with Peter to “feed His sheep”, Jesus gave final direction to His disciples. Before ascending, we can read in Acts 1:6-8,
6 So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
The apostles were curious about when the restoration of Israel was coming, but Jesus told them that the time was not for them to know because it is only by God and His authority to know the time or times. However, even though they were not to know the time or times, they were given the power and authority of the Holy Spirit when He arrived a few days later. Once the power of the Holy Spirit came, they became witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. We won’t look any further because we know what happened on the Day of Pentecost, but what we will look into is what they were doing when they received the Holy Spirit – they were waiting and praying. By the power and provision of the Lord, we are now in full swing bearing witness to His calling in our lives. While we are reminded of the Day of Pentecost, we believe there is an important action that we need to remember to do just like the apostles – wait and pray.
Sure, we know we have plenty of work to do for our community, but as we have laid this foundation these past few months, our action now rests in waiting for the Lord to guide us on our next journey. We are greatly reminded of what the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 40 and the importance of waiting. Isaiah 40:31 says,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
What is cool in this passage is that the verb or action word is in the first line, and the promise is what comes after. We can often think a verb is something like: run, jump, dance, eat, work, etc. but wait is just as much of a verb as any other action word. Let’s take it a step further and look at what the word “wait” means in Hebrew. Wait comes from the Hebrew word, qavah. On the surface, it means: wait, hope, expect, eagerly await, but if we dig a little deeper, qavah means something even more powerful than wait. Qavah can also mean: to collect, bind together, intertwine, and strengthen.
How awesome is that? When we wait for the Lord, it is not just about hanging around until something happens. We are gaining new strength—His strength. We are intertwined with Him. It is by His power we are able to do what we do every day—for our guests, our community, our coworkers, our families, and our friends.
The apostles spent three years with Jesus, and when they waited in glorious expectation for the power of the Holy Spirit, everything changed. When the Holy Spirit finally arrived, the world shifted for the better. The apostles became the hands and feet of Jesus, and because they were faithful to His call in their lives, we are here today, in Topeka, Kansas, still living in that legacy.
Now, two thousand years later, we find ourselves in a similar space—waiting in expectation for the Holy Spirit to move. What will He do next? We may not know, but we are blessed to be in partnership with incredible people in our community, across the country, and even around the world, all waiting with us for what God will do.
The inward challenge for each of us this month is to ask the Lord what it means to truly wait on Him, to be strengthened by His power, love, and self-discipline. As we allow Him to shape us, we will be better equipped to pour into the lives of those we encounter daily, helping to shape their success stories in the months ahead. In waiting we can be better prepared to be vessels of His grace and truth, ensuring that when the time comes, we are ready to respond with strength and compassion.
This challenge leads directly to the outward call to action. Many receiving this newsletter are already faithful donors of time, finances, and resources, and as we enter this season of thankfulness, it is important to recognize that none of the work done at TRM would be possible without such generous support. We are deeply grateful for those who are waiting with us, walking alongside us in faith and dedication as we serve our community together. For those who may be searching for ways to get involved, we pray that as you consider how to make a difference, you find strength in your purpose and devotion to the calling the Lord has placed on your life. Together, we can make an impact that echoes beyond the present moment, into the lives of those who need it most. †
