Dear Friends,

Greetings from somewhere along the Tour du Mont Blanc. As you read this, I’m likely taking another step along a 110-mile trail that winds through France, Italy, and Switzerland. By the time I finish, I’ll have climbed and descended nearly 34,000 feet, a little more than the height of Mount Everest. A journey like this doesn’t begin at the trailhead. It begins long before, with preparation.

For several weeks leading up to the hike, I took long walks around Grand Rapids. There were no mountain peaks, just familiar sidewalks and neighborhood streets. At the time, those walks felt unremarkable. Yet, little by little, they were getting me ready for what lay ahead. Before I ever set foot in the Alps, those quiet mornings had already begun preparing me for the trail.

Walking those familiar streets reminded me that this is often how God forms us. He prepares us through daily prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, forgiveness, and acts of charity. By His grace, these simple practices quietly shape our hearts for whatever lies ahead.

We rarely know what God is preparing us for. The patience we learn today, the trust we deepen in prayer, and the habit of turning to Christ each day may become the very grace we need for tomorrow’s joys and trials.

No one completes a 110-mile trek in a single step. Only in hindsight do we discover that those small, faithful steps have carried us much farther than we ever imagined.

As I continue this journey, I carry you with me in prayer and gratitude. Through your prayers, generosity, and faithful encouragement, you help create opportunities for people to encounter Christ, grow in faith, and discover the path God is preparing for them.

Like the small steps that make a great journey possible, your prayerful and financial support sustains this ministry every day. Thank you for walking with us as we continue forming missionary disciples together.

In gratitude and hope,