“Who was that?”

Understanding that someone is praying for you with faith, patience, and an open mind to pray the impression of the Spirit can be very humbling. For 21 Days in July a group of 63 faithful prayer warriors prayed for our family while we officially moved from Potsdam. They ushered in the Lord’s presence for us to receive holy gifts. Those gifts gave us a glimpse of the fruitfulness from our ministry and life there.

Nate and I have four core values* in our relational ministry work. They are how we engage the city in non-hostile ways to share the gospel. In biblical narratives, God often uses the unlikely person in the story to teach us something about Himself. On day 19 of our trip, He used Edward**.

I labored on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor like Cinderella. It is not my choice position for first time introductions. I looked up when I didn’t recognize the feet of the person stepping over me. I worked to untangle my thoughts of this mystery guest but finally asked at the 15-minute mark, “Who was that?” My friend Heidi held the clue, “Oh, that is Edward. Patrice and I lead a small group, and he is a member. We told him we would be helping a friend today and asked him to join us.” Edward transitioned from stranger to friend as he worked in conjunction with everyone else in the flat.

We were finally finished after ten days of arduous toil. The apartment was cleaned out and ready for landlord inspection. Everyone, exhausted, covered in a mixture of paint, dirt, sweat, and emotions, gathered in front of our apartment door in the stairwell. Nate and I poured champagne into tiny paper cups to toast and express our gratitude for the dedicated work in helping us.

Heidi raised her cup first, “I was an original member of your small group that started in 2016. Now, the members of that group are spread across Germany and into the four corners of Europe. On their behalf I want to say, ‘Thank you.’ You taught us what it meant to live in intentional community. You opened the doors to this apartment every time we came, even when you were tired. You invited us into your home as part of your family. You included us in whatever was happening.

“Nate, you showed me what a healthy relationship between a dad and daughter looks like. It helped me to heal and create a new vision for how God sees and relates to me. Brittany, you showed me what it means to be a Godly woman and how to live out faith in a marriage and family. I was a mess when I arrived at your house. This small group you created saved me.

“The Lord sent me a husband, Patrice, and we now have our own small group. We often think, ‘What would Nate and Brittany do?’ We have formed the group with the same intentionality and vulnerability as you formed ours. Thank you for leading by example and for coming to Germany to lead our small group.”

Her words humbled us. We finished the toast, wiped our soaked eyes, blew our noses, and engaged the painful process of giving final hugs. Nate stood in front of Edward with his arm stretched wide to give him a hug. As they embraced, Nate expressed gratitude for his help. Edward tenderly looked at Nate, “I did not know all of that backstory with Heidi.  I guess I really should be thanking you for the amazing small group leaders I have today that keep bringing me back to Jesus.  Thank you for coming to Germany to lead their small group and for investing in them the way you did.”

Nate and I always prayed for those who crossed the threshold of our apartment doors to encounter Jesus. We prayed for them to hear about Him in biblical context, but also to know His presence and character in tangible ways. We desired for them to experience grace. We tried to look for ways to have genuine curiosity to pave a path for us to learn about them. We hoped all of God’s creatures felt welcomed. We longed for God to reveal ways we could be more intentional with our words and time.

Through Edward, God revealed to us how He had answered our prayers and used our ministry. He confirmed the ‘why’ behind our values. Just as Jesus had been standing at the door knocking in Revelation 3 and Luke 11, He knocked on our apartment door and we opened it wide up. Those physical doors opened and welcomed any and all into our home. They opened for holidays, ministry gatherings, and football nights. They opened when we had energy and when we were tired. They welcomed refugees, new babies, and couples in marriage crisis. Jesus also stood at the door to people’s hearts. God exposed how metaphorical doors were opened too. People heard Him knocking and they ushered Him inside.

Jesus walked through so many doors during our time of service in Potsdam. The doors to our apartment were closed for the final time that day, but Jesus doesn’t just knock on doors in Germany. We move forward with eager anticipation knowing that God will continue to open more doors through generational fruit planted in Potsdam and through our new ministry stateside. God does indeed listen when we intentionally pray!

Sincerely,

Brittany

*Our Four Core Values: If you would like to learn more about our 4 Core Values we would love to share over a coffee, meal, or at your Small Group. You can message us to learn more.

**Edward is a pseudonym name to protect his identity.