Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (which was the 18th). For this year, I put together a devotional guide that goes along with the sermon series running up to Easter, so it begins on February 22nd. Each day includes a passage of scripture (most of them are healing miracles from the Gospels), a prayer prompt and an Act of Kindness. It extends through the week following Easter with prompts to guide you through sharing the hope we have in Jesus with others.
You can see it below. Feel free to download it if you would like to use it!
For the past year and a half, I’ve coordinated prayer efforts for The 6 Degree Initiative. This has involved hosting weekly prayer calls, creating monthly newsletters, and gathering and sharing prayer updates from the field. I’ve recruited prayer champions to raise awareness of the needs in Togo and Benin within their home churches, working closely with our church partners to cultivate a movement of prayer throughout our local congregations. This May, we will host a prayer gathering in Togo, providing our prayer champions with the opportunity to witness the ministry firsthand and join local pastors in prayer walks through unreached villages.
Our son has been a part of The 6 Degree Initiative, a church planting initiative in Africa for the past 4 years. In that time, we have seen incredible growth as church buildings have built, home churches started in over 150 villages and networks of pastors formed. There have been exciting stories of conversions and life change as hundreds are baptized and families and communities are set free.
In 2024, The 6 Degree Initiative partnered with Coalition of the Willing on the ACHIEVE project (A CHurch In Every Village Everywhere) to map out the status of every village in Togo to determine those without a Gospel presence, those with Christians but no church and those with a church. In the Maritime Region of Togo that 6 Degree serves, there are 1000 villages that have no access to an evangelical church. The goal is to see 1000 churches planted in the next 4 years. The formation of networks of local pastors and church planters (graduates of The Timothy Initiative) to strategically reach these villages has already begun with multiple networks forms and pastor training and renewal conferences held in 2025. In 2026 we are looking do 1000 prayer walks in 1000 villages and recruit 1000 global partners to pray. Read more here.
Financial Support Needed
Laura and I are looking to raise funds to support our travels to Togo for the prayer gathering in May, and to Washington, DC, in June for the Converge National Convention (of which The 6th Degree Initiative is a proud part). Our immediate financial need is approximately $3,000 for airfare to Togo, along with an additional $2,000 for travel and lodging expenses for both events. If you feel called to assist us with these costs, please reach out to either Laura or me directly. Please note that this is personal support, and no tax receipt will be available. Or you can give through our GiveSendGo campaign here. There is a 3% processing fee through GiveSendGo and they will ask for a tip to fund their website and service. You can select other and enter any amount you wish for the tip – even $0.
Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support!
You can give directly to the support of Josh & Ashley and the 6th Degree Initiative here.
Sign up for 6th Degree Initiative prayer updates here.
28Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”Matthew 28:1-10 ESV
Silent Saturday was a new term for me this year. In a sense, I have practiced it for years. I just didn’t know it had a name.
The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter has always been a somber, introspective time for me. I observe a strict fast from sundown Friday until we get home from the Easter morning services. I also read the story of redemption from the Bible, beginning in Genesis and ending with the crucifixion. For the most part, we try to stay quietly at home. We still take care of chores and errands, but we try to restrict busyness.
My reading this year:
Early Morning: Gen 1-3; 6-9:17; 12-15; 21-22; Ex 1-3; 11-13:16; 1Sam 16; 22-23:7
Mid Morning: Is 11; 61; John 1:1-42; Mat 1:18-3:22; Luke 1-3:22
Afternoon: John 11-17; Mat 21-27; John 19-19
Evening: Is 52:13-53:12; 55-56:8; 57:14-59; Psalm 22
As we complete the Way of the Cross, it is important to remember the horror, anguish, darkness and silence that preceded the breaking of the New Dawn.
