Thankful for 2014 & Hopeful for 2015 -A Reflection on a Year of Ministry

Merry Christmas!! & Happy New Year From the Ministry of Erik Cole I praise the Lord for His goodness and the eternal promise we have in Christ! It is my prayer that you too can experience the love that our God has for us, found in His eternal promise, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior this Christmas. Also starting a new year, we are drawn to reflect on how the Lord has blessed us so and I have so much to be thankful for from the past year in ministry!  I am especially thankful for those of you who are receiving this letter, as each one of you have been a huge blessing to the ministry and myself through prayer, partnership and also faithfulness in giving, which keeps this ministry moving forward! To celebrate the blessings that I’ve seen in ministry over the past year, I invite you to rejoice with me over the following highlights: Spending a year in Mexico was a challenging experience but through the Lord’s grace, I was able to walk cross-culturally in ministry and make great local Mexican friends along the way.  I praise God for the deep cultural ties and many relationships that I now have to return to once my goals are met for full time support! An unbelievable amount of personal and spiritual growth was gained this past year and I am thankful for the guidance and wisdom of the AvanceStaff.  Paul and Kevin helped discern spiritual gifting that I couldn’t see on my own! Also with their help, I successfully completed my Masters of Arts in International Development & Transformational Leadership, which will be a huge asset once joining the Avance Staff this coming year! The personal ministries that I was involved with during my time as anAvance participant served as stepping-stones to consider mission as a full-time possibility.  I am thankful for the Warm Heart Staff (pictured on the left) who encouraged extending my stay in Mexico, which eventually developed into my full-time decision to serve internationally. The most eye opening experience during the past year of ministry in Mexico was the Summer Program where I had the opportunity to facilitate cross-cultural transformation for the young adults who came down!  This is where the Lord revealed to me where my skills are best utilized and where I have found the most joy while doing ministry work: leading others through a new culture and equipping them for future ministry opportunities!   Once more, thank you for all of the prayer and encouragement this past year as the Lord has been revealing His purpose in this ministry and how he has been preparing me to come along side Avance as a full-time part of the team!  Please continue to pray with me as I prepare for my return to Mexico City in May, as there are large financial goals to be met before then! I encourage you to take this season to reflect upon the highlights of your year and how the Lord has blessed you as well! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, & Many Blessings, -Erik Erik on Facebook Erik on Twitter Erik on Instagram Erik's Blog!