Mexico July 14th Prayer Requests/update

It is 1:24 a.m. on July 15^th and I am very excited to clean up and get some sleep.  God certainly provided a very big series of adventures for us today, and it has been excellent to see Him work.  We will be excited to share them with you when we get a chance to catch up on sleep.  For now, please pray that we may find a cheap and safe replacement van tire, successfully repair the leak in the gasoline hose (from the gas cap to the tank), and that we listen and receive whatever exciting things God has for us tomorrow!

---Brandon

Mexico Second Update/Send Off information

For our second update, I want to let you know that anyone who wishes to pray for us as we depart may come by 104 E 16^th, Hays, KS  67601 at noon on Thursday, July 14^th.  Prayer will begin at noon, and we will depart immediately after, so feel free to come by a bit early.  Either way, please keep us in your prayers and keep up with us on this blog; your prayers are a VERY important part of the Kingdom work that will be occurring on this trip.  Thank you again for your prayers!

--Brandon 

Unite/Mexico Update July 12, 2011

Hello everyone!

   Most of our leadership is preparing to head to Mexico, and we will be using this prayer blog to document our trip for specific prayers.  We hope to update it very frequently, so feel free to keep up with it and pray for us.

   For Unite, please keep the small groups and game night in your prayers as different small group leaders and game night leaders will be running things over the next two weeks.  We pray that opens up opportunities for the leaders to reach out AND for individuals to have new interactions.  We would also ask that you pray for the coffee house project as the final agreements are being made.  After the agreements are set, we should have a small money transfer from the UMSC and then should be making purchases (even as we are in Mexico) so that we can start up and running as soon as we get back.

   Finally, please pray as I have been heavily interacting with the churches in the past week or two.  We hope that the Spirit will lead us all to come together for ‘Get Plugged In’ and [alt] and a few other events to really reach out and serve students.  Thank you for your prayers, and please keep praying—it is very important to the Kingdom work happening here!

   Sincerely,

   Brandon

Mexico First Post

The last few weeks of Mexico preparation meetings have had a very interesting feel to them.  We have spent a great amount of time in spiritual preparation for the trip, and a larger-than-usual amount of time in language/cultural preparation.

I am very excited for how illuminating the spiritual preparation has been for me, and I think for all involved.   For those of you who are interested, I want to go ahead and post a bit about the spiritual preparations so that you may join with us in them, if you wish.

The first week we went through the following scriptures:

Matthew 10:35-39

Matthew 16:21-28

Luke 9:23-27

Luke 17:26-35

John 12:23-28

In each rendition of the surrender theme, we looked at the context both before and after each section.  I would STRONGLY encourage you to read each of them and pray about them to see what God shows.  We also read Romans 12:1-2 and discussed how surrender leads to transformation (by the renewing of our minds by the Holy Spirit) and true life.

It was very difficult for me to read that those who cling to their lives are not worthy of being Jesus’s…  That is a true statement and is literal (we can’t have both things Biblically or practically in our life—they are exclusive).  It is very difficult for me to daily surrender my life, however, and to trust God enough that He does give true life—even after He shows me again and again that He does give me a richer and a truer life than I could have obtained living for myself.  Thank God for His faithfulness.

We had several other good discussions from these verses, so I would again encourage you to read them, explore the surrounding ideas, and pray to see what God may show you.  This was the theme for the first meeting’s spiritual preparation.

Monday July 4 updates

Please pray for the next two weeks as we prepare to go to Juarez Mexico.  There is MUCH to be done as we get ready to cross the border with a new group and interact with the children at the home whom we miss very much.  We are deeply excited to return, and I hear that the children are excited to see us again.

Also, the next week and few days before we leave are critical for preparation for 'Get Plugged In' in August and also for parts of [alt], finding potential host families for international students, and a few other things as I meet one on one with every church and college ministry in town (if possible) before we leave.  Please pray for those meetings.  Thanks again for your support as God's kingdom continues to advance :)

Jun 27 prayers

This week I would ask simply that you pray for all in our small groups.  A number are going through some difficult and yet very defining times.  I can't say much more than that.  Thank you for your prayers.

Monday June 20th Prayer updates

One of our young freshman (will be a sophomore in college next semester) has been experiencing some excellent growth in God in the last couple of weeks.  He has been opening up and sharing how God has recently done some drastic things in his life.  For the first time (though he has intellectually known of God his whole life) he has been frequently praying, listening, and experiencing what he calls a relationship with God.  In past he has read the Bible, attended services, and been active in Teens for Christ--but he had never spoken much with God in prayer and had relied on his own strength to get through most everything.  Now he will be up late in prayer, writing in his journal what he hears and often sharing what he's been told with the small group and others.  It's been very exciting for me to watch him, and I'd ask that you keep him in your prayers--that he continue to rely on God for His strength and speak with Him.

This gentleman is one of the two young men in our small groups who live in the same house with me (along with one other roommate who is currently not directly involved in the ministry).  We will be receiving one new individual in our house in a month, and I'd ask that you pray that God help us live out our faith in love and care for each other as we adjust to new people and new circumstances.  May this be a good opportunity for us to show God through our love.

This morning I had a great time working on a small building on a farm with two men from our small groups.  We were helping an area youth pastor paint and put up a wall; the house will likely be used for future ministry, and it was a fun time to bond and experience community.  I'd ask you to pray that the building will be well used for God's Kingdom purposes (I know that it will based on the youth pastor) and that he and his family are blessed with opportunities to serve with it.

Finally, this week has been a good week in the small groups and in game night.  In the small groups, we've had good times of sharing, prayer, and encouragement.  The new people this Summer are starting to open up well, and we're currently in Matthew (preparing for the Sermon on the Mount this week).  Please keep us in your prayers--that things may continue to go well, and especially that we might have more involvement from congregation members.

Game night has not been running as late into the evening in the Summer, but it seems that we've actually picked up a few new attendees, which is great.  Not only do we have some new people, but we've had the opportunity to teach new games and get to know some old friends better who have begun to free up enough to come back.  Some of them have also started to come to the free lunches I cook every Sunday at 1:00 p.m.  It's a good time for people from multiple churches to get together and enjoy fellowship after services.  Thank God for His providence for that.

Thank you for your prayers and support, and if you ever want US to pray for YOU, don't hesitate to email Uniteeph4.1.16@gmail.com with your prayer request.  Have a great week!
--Brandon

June 15th GENERAL UPDATE

Hello everyone!  First, I wanted to let you know that we will begin posting on our prayer blog here EACH MONDAY so that you can keep more up-to-date in prayer support.

Last week was an excellent start for summer small groups.  We have four up and running well.  Please pray as we seek to contact other individuals who may be interested in joining that the right connections are made for the summer.

The Mexico team for the Unite mission trip has started meeting.  Please pray as a last few individuals make up their minds that God help them discern His will.  We hope they end up where God desires them to be, wherever that is.

Finally, thank you again for your prayers and support.  Please pray that I personally listen to and hear God's voice as I seek to diligently type out some things I believe I am supposed to.  Thanks again--your prayers are truly important!--Brandon

Monday June 6th Prayer Requests

Hello all!  It's been a great/crazy first year, and we're already rolling full-bore with our summer ministry happenings.  Please pray for the small groups as all 3 start this week--also, game night has continued without a break though it has dropped to once a week on Fridays.  We will be ordering coffee equipment to start 'Common Grounds' brewing during game nights and hope to experiment during the summer to figure out how everything should run during the Fall.  Please keep that in your prayers but please especially pray that God be clearly visible in the game night community.

In general, we could use prayers for strong women leadership and for clear perception of the Spirit's voice as we are following in several large projects at the moment (Get Plugged In, a potential down-town ministry, the Mexico mission trip to the children's home in Juarez that Unite will be leading July 14-25th, and the aforementioned happenings plus a few others).

If you have any interest in letting an international student live with you/your family next year, PLEASE contact me ASAP at brandon.nimz@gmail.com.  Also, if you have any small jobs that are temporary or variable in nature (such that it wouldn't detract from me seeking first the Kingdom of God/leading this ministry), please feel free to contact me so I can augment my financial support through additional odd jobs.  I recently ran into some car problems that I was able to fix through God's providence and the help of a mechanic friend, but parts were still fairly expensive.

Thank you for your prayers and support!
--Brandon

PS Update/Thanks

PS The fundraiser at New Life Church's Summit Coffee House (for the Mexico Mission Trip) went very well!  We received $300 towards the trip.  Thank you to those who were able to attend!

May 15th Update/Prayer requests

It's been a whirlwind time of year.  As a rule, everything for most of the college students, college ministries, and people on campus has been absolutely crazy for the past two weeks, and now it is beginning to slow down.  There are still a number of students who are moving or trying to find apartments and summer jobs, but this upcoming week should still be a lot slower for everyone.

Please pray for us as we try and find the ideal times for small groups.  We will have at least two small groups continuing over the summer.  We will also continue our game night, though it will only be on Friday evenings.  We are in the process of purchasing espresso machines, coffee supplies, and some other general things to add 'Common Grounds Coffee House' into the United Methodist Student Center as part of the game nights.  Unite will oversee the coffee house and maintain the equipment, and the United Methodist Student Center will provide us a place to run it in.  At this time, we will only be looking to run the coffee house during game nights.  We hope that it will attract additional people into a community at which they can interact with the body of believers.  Please especially pray that God provide interested individuals in the body who would be willing to come out and develop relationships.

We would also request prayer as we seek to organize a much bigger version of the 'Get Plugged In' event next semester on campus, prepare for the Mexico Mission Trip, and look at an endeavor in the downtown region that may substantially impact the community.  We need to spend a good deal of time in prayer and listening as we seek to move under God's direction in these things...

On a smaller note: for those of you who are unaware, I rent a three bedroom house with four other gentlemen (one of whom is on Unite leadership).  One of the room mates is moving out, and a young freshman student from the men's small group is moving in.  Later on in June we'll have another gentleman move out.  Please pray that God provide us the right man at the right time as a room mate.  This open room is a very exciting opportunity for us to get to know a non-believer, a young believer, or to develop stronger relationships with a brother in Christ (pending on who moves in).  I look forward to seeing what God has for us in this.

Beyond that, please pray that all of us may look to God for definition and for our value at core--especially those entering relationships or just out of relationships.  The end of the year has some fairly complex things happening in that realm for a number of college students, and prayers have power.

Thank you for your prayers and support--please keep the Mexico Mission Team in your prayers as it develops over the next few weeks!
--Brandon

April 28 Prayer requests

Please keep the students in your prayers as they continue to try and both serve the Lord and stay motivated to complete schoolwork and jobs.  As finals approach, many are drained and tired, and it can be difficult to make this last big push. 

We are also preparing to set up our summer small groups, game nights, and our mission trip to Mexico along with several other projects for the summer and early next semester.  Since it is such a busy time, please pray that we all stay sensitive in the Spirit and get done that which needs done (based on His plans for us, not on our planners).  Thank you for your prayers and support!!!

April 27th update

Thank God for a glorious evening.  I was on a panel at Encounter (another college ministry) for the second week in a row.  Members of the audience were allowed to directly ask us questions or anonymously text questions to a computer.  The questions led to some very Biblical discussion.  Afterward, I had the opportunity to encourage several people and take part in some Spirit-led discussions about the topics that had been brought up.

Perhaps most interesting, however, was the next opportunity.  I was invited to sit in on a women’s group that shared their highs and lows in their week.  What followed was an excellent time of openness and sharing.  I will not mention any specifics about anything shared, but I will say that the Spirit enabled people to share very authentically what was really going on in their lives.  I was also very blessed and honored with an opportunity to pray for the young ladies.  I don’t have great words to explain it, but it was one of those times when I could just feel the Spirit move and knew that it should be, and I was truly honored and joyful to be used.   

They are amazing young ladies, the whole night was very good, and I thank God for a glorious evening.

April 13th

It seems to be a week of afternoon and late night one-on-one conversations...  These have ranged from conversations that have encouraged fellow ministry leaders and me to numerous one-on-one chats with college-aged individuals going through rough things in life.  The stuff shared in all of them is too personal to share even on a prayer blog, but I'd strongly request that you pray for a number of young ladies who need to draw their definition and value in Christ and God's love for them and for a number of Christians who are needing to listen as they walk with friends in need.  I would also ask that you pray that leadership in a variety of regional ministries listen, follow, and obey God...  He's doing some exciting things right now, and some of these things are difficult for some people to go through--but a necessary part of growth.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Apr 6 Praise and update

Oh PS--small group went very well last night!  We had a VERY good time in the word and had a new person join us!  Please keep the small groups in your prayers!  Also, if you don't mind them being 'text only', feel free to check out some of our archived newsletters at our website!  http://www.unite-haysks.com/Jan-2011.php

End of the long silence April 6

Hello everyone!
   I apologize for the long silence and will do better about keeping this site up-to-date.  We have been having live conversations with many of you and have continued to send out the newsletter (if you do not receive the newsletter and wish to, please email uniteeph4.1.16@gmail.com and with subject 'add to newsletter' and we will send you one), but I have not been updating this blog.  Prayer support is absolutely key, so I will do a better job about keeping this current.
   The remainder of the week still involves two more small groups, two game nights, and a number of meetings and conversations in preparation for our Mexico mission trip this summer and the 'Get Plugged In' event next semester.  Please feel free to be in prayer for any of these and all of these.  On a personal note, I have been fairly sick for over a month and am finally feeling largely better.  Please keep me (Brandon) in your prayers, as well.
   We have the go ahead to purchase the equipment to turn game night(s) into game night(s) with a coffeehouse (Common Grounds coffee house) this month, so please pray for discernment and that we follow God's lead on that as we search for an appropriate espresso machine.
   Things have been going well in the community--many of our young ladies are getting together and supporting each other, and some of our young men are helping each other through some very difficult, personal struggles.  God is growing each small group community well (both in strength and numbers), and several exciting new opportunities are on the horizon (if you don't get the newsletter, sign up to get some more details about that)...
   Thank you again for your prayers and support!

Feb 22 Updates/Prayer Requests

Feb 22^nd update

It’s been a whirlwind two weeks!  God has done some very exciting things this month.  In just a two-week stretch we’ve had more than six new people temporarily or permanently join a new small group.  Each instance has been exciting.  Some have joined us through existing relationships, but many have just walked by and sat down and joined for a prayer OR have contacted us asking about a small group.  We’ve also had several new people come to game nights.

We STRONGLY appreciate your prayers that we be sensitive to the Spirit in each interaction so that we can be at the right place at the right time.  There really aren’t words to explain how exciting it is to see Him move.

Also, I recently gave a message in WaKeeney at the Church of God.  The second service especially I could feel the Spirit stirring.  One young lady approached me after the service very upset and shared some difficult things with me.  Through the Spirit and connections we were able to get her in contact with a lady in her community who can meet with her.  I was VERY excited to be used for that.  It’s ALSO been interesting in that the Spirit has had me meeting with a youth pastor and a few people from that community (one of whom has moved his family here because they felt they were to become involved with ‘Hays’).  I’m heading back over two more times this week for some exciting things the Spirit is doing there.  I’m fairly certain they relate heavily back to the ‘Common Grounds’ coffeehouse along with something our leadership team is praying about.  We would VERY much appreciate your prayers for discernment and for us to have the ability to listen, hear, and follow God’s directions in HIS timing.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  On a personal note, my support has risen to where it will be at a stable $350 per month next month.  Thank God for His providence!

--Brandon

Text version of January Newsletter

It’s been a very interesting month.  Our leadership team is meeting every other week now, and it appears that the team may be growing stronger as a listening community.  I am excited about some of the subjects that have come up and may be in the works later this semester.  Please be in prayer for us that we can listen and discern what the Spirit has for us.

I am also excited for the potentials with Common Grounds coffee house.  We are now working with the United Methodist Student Center board and Allegro to broker a deal so that we can officially begin running.  It appears that God may have provided enough money to get us at least started.

Regardless, the game night communities already meet during the times we would be serving coffee, and the communities are growing well.  A number of very important conversations have begun to occur between believers and non-believers during game night.  Several young women have met with some of our ladies in leadership to share about relationship issues and other things.  Our leadership is praying and seeking to be more aware of opportunities to develop the relationships that God has for us to develop and to listen to be used by God to love others.  Also, a number of new individuals from many different walks of life have recently begun coming to game night.  Pray that God help us move with Him as we interact with them and develop relationships.

Our semester officially started off with a prayer retreat at the First Presbyterian church in Hays.  Six individuals showed up, and we spent six hours in prayer and reflection.

At the beginning of the event we had a general prayer, and then we separated out to spend some individual time with God in prayer and meditation.  We each went through a number of questions and scripture passages designed to give us opportunities to pray with God and listen.  After a couple such sessions, we began practicing some prayer meditation techniques that have been used in the church for centuries as a group.  These included centering prayer and lectio divina (a pattern of reading and meditating on scripture while listening to God). We also separately practiced a soul-baring type of spiritual journaling.  The prayer retreat was powerful for everyone whom God enabled to listen.  I thank Him greatly for what He taught.

In early January we also had a collaborative game night with North Oak’s Outreach Team, the Tippy family, and Community Connections.  We actually had lower attendance than at previous collaborative events, but the combination of people was very healthy.  The Tippy family came with one of the international students who lives in their house, a few from North Oak showed up with some international friends, and about 16 of the standard game night attenders arrived.  At least one of the people from North Oak and at least one of the college ladies very much enjoyed playing with the Tippy’s daughter, and I personally enjoyed getting to know the Tippy’s and three international students better.

As is typical each semester, we again hosted ‘Get plugged In’ on campus in the Union and invited all local churches and college ministries to attend.  Due largely to an ice storm that hit the day we held the event, attendance was low from churches and college students.  A few churches did make it, however, along with several college ministries, and we had some pretty in-depth conversations with students who came looking for a place to connect to.

Next semester we hope to work with a large number of youth groups in Northwest Kansas to promote ‘Get Plugged In’ to Fort-Hays bound students who are still in high school.  We also hope to use the second semester event as a ‘preview day’ so that high school youth pastors can bring their students to ‘Get Plugged In’ to give them an idea of what to look for when they look for a church/college ministry wherever they go.  Please pray about ‘Get Plugged In’ as it relates to youth in high school finding a connection to the Body of Christ in college.  Also please pray for a group of college ministers and youth pastors I have been meeting with who seek to pull in an international speaker for campus and the surrounding school districts and who also seek to help coordinate [alt] next year.

For those interested, I will be preaching both sermons February 20th at WaKeeney Church of God in WaKeeney, Kansas.  If you would like a chance to meet with me in person or listen to some of what God has taught me over the last several months as a missionary/college ministry leader, PLEASE feel free to attend!  First service is at 9:00 a.m., and second service is at 11:15 a.m.  The address for the church is 1300 Easter Avenue, WaKeeney, KS  67672.

Thank you again for your prayers and support.  God is definitely moving in Hays, and we are excited to see what He has yet in store for us!

February 9 Post (prayer request, update)

Hello everyone!  Our Tuesday night group met at my house since the Union was closed due to weather, and we had one newer person come back for a second time and two entirely new people show up!  We hope that they continue to come and share with us.  The atmosphere was very fun, and we were able to share some serious prayer requests and encourage each other well.  The scripture discussion was a little short since we also took time to serve some traditional Asian tea (I don't get a reason to break out my Chinese tea very often), but it was also very good.  Please pray for those who joined us that they continue to grow in Christ and in community with His body (whether that continues to be us or whether it be with other Christians).

Also, I have begun serving lunch after Aikido on Saturday and church service on Sunday for any college students who wants to join (both groups like to eat together and have fun together but run too short on funding to eat out often).  The meals are big cheap things like Spaghetti, frozen pizza, sandwiches, etc., and anyone may bring food or drink who wishes to.  So far the meals have gone well (non-Aikido students are welcome Saturday, but it's mostly Aikido students, and people from any church are welcome Sunday, but it's mostly those who attend mine who join us (though two or three came from other churches, too)).  These meals DO seem to be really great opportunities for people to relax and get to know each other better while having fun.  Please pray for them as you feel led.


Please be in prayer that God help a number of individuals in relationships (or just out of them) listen--that He open their ears, eyes, hearts, and minds, and speak in such a way that they clearly hear, understand, and know...  and that He help them follow Him in these instances...  There are several young people going through some difficult situations in relationship (or just out of them).  A number of us in leadership have been meeting with, praying with, and encouraging several individuals in such circumstances.  Please pray over that.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Feb 4th Update

Feb 4^th Update

I recently met with the United Methodist Student Center Board.  We discussed several up-and-coming things with the ‘Common Grounds’ coffee house project.  I would appreciate prayers that God help us all listen, hear, and follow His lead and His timing.  This is a project that shouldn’t be rushed OR allowed to lag behind His time frame.  Some of the money we have access to also has a clock on it—if it isn’t used by May, it disappears.  Please pray that it all come together in His timing and His way.

Also, several exciting new ideas came up at our last leadership meeting (our leadership meets once every two weeks to pray and listen).  I have some meetings even today that will relate to some of them.  I would ask that you pray for discernment for us that we can hear and discern God’s will in the plans.  I shortly plan to contact our prayer board so they can be in prayer with us.  At this time I don’t want to go into details since we are just in the early praying/listening phases, but if it looks like a place where we may go I will be excited to share it with all of you.  If you are really curious, you can also ask me in person.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  It HAS made a difference—God is definitely moving.  A number of important conversations have been happening during the game nights, and the small groups are getting some new members whom we are really excited about.

Jan 22nd update Up and running again

It’s excellent to be ‘back in the swing of things’ with the small group communities, game nights, and many of the one-on-one meeting times I have with others.  It’s a sincere blessing to be back together in each of the small groups—the times we’ve shared this week in prayer, study, encouragement, and community are beyond words.  It’s obvious to me that the Spirit guides us and is helping individuals grow and share life together well.  Please pray that He open our ears to hear and that we move together under His direction.