Red Letter Family,

I pray that Christmas and the new year have been a blessing for everyone. I hope you were able to worship God with all your heart. God sure challenged me, as my family attended service at the church where we were baptized at, I heard that still small whisper, you will be here until you forgive your family, and the church that shall not be named. I told Nina and Ella in the car, as we passed the street I grew up in. We reached the next stop sign and Nina asked: “you want me to turn the car around?” I didn’t want to, my Uncle who had adopted me years ago still lived there, its where both my dad and grandmother passed away, it was also home for my middle and high school years. As we pulled up, the upstairs condo was pitch black, which is where my Uncle lived. Ella wanted to leave, but I said the downstairs light was on, which is where my grandmas condo was. So we walked up rang the doorbell and was buzzed in, my sister (via adoption, biologically my cousin) opened the door and asked if I was someone else. They heard my voice and invited us in, I had all this pain and animosity and they had none, and it was as if they didnt even realize how much pain they had caused. After stealing a few of my sisters cookies, which were good attempts at my grandmas recipe, we left. That sure wasn’t on my bingo card, but it was such a huge burden lifted. I also left wondering, what does forgiveness for the other situation look like, cannot exactly walk in for a visit. But God will reveal that in time. What has God been up to in your life? For me, this season is not accidental. It’s God’s providence stretching all of us — spiritually, relationally, and yes… sometimes emotionally. And that’s exactly where God does some of His best work.

Looking back, 2025 wasn’t random either. It was God showing us what could be, while also making it clear where it was time to dust the sandals. He’s been leading us into a place of refuge — our own kind of Egypt — not as a setback, but as a sabbath. A season to pause, to breathe, to be restored, so we’re ready for the Kingdom work ahead.

I’ll be honest — its taken me about a month to fully embrace this unplanned sabbatical. But I’m starting to feel it now. Healing. Forgiveness. Vision returning. Dreams waking back up. And a quiet, steady confidence that God isn’t late — He’s forming us.

This is a stretching season, yes.
But it’s also a strengthening one.

Before I get to the homework and to dos, here’s the big picture I keep running into over and over again — from pastors, planters, mentors, and even NAMB resources:

God is forming something in us before He builds something with us.

One of the books quietly shaping my thinking right now is Church Planting Is for Wimps. Despite the title, the message isn’t about weakness for weakness’ sake — it’s about dismantling self-reliance.

The core truth is this:

That truth explains why this season looks the way it does.

The surveys.
The slower pace.
The emphasis on Scripture, spiritual gifts, and family worship.
The waiting on approval and financing from NAMB.

This isn’t delay. It’s formation.

The book presses a reality we can’t afford to ignore: God is more interested in who you are becoming than what you are building. If we skip the deep work now — prayer, humility, unity, dependence — whatever we build later will demand from us what only God can supply.

That’s also why are study of Ephesians is so timely.

Before Paul speaks about mission, ministry, or maturity, he grounds the church in identity: chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed. Before the church is sent, it is centered on Christ.

So as you read on, let God continue to shape His people before He reveals the when and how.

The first things I did as a pastor in Gloucester was to preach through Acts and provide spiritual gift assessments. Let us begin again, we need to see clearly — what God has placed in us, and who He’s placed among us.

Scripture reminds us:

And again:

Spiritual gifts are not about personality tests or ministry résumés.
They are grace-gifts, given by God, for the building up of the body — and they are often clarified best in community.

I will never ask you to do something I am not willing to, so I took the assessment myself. Here’s what came back:

No surprises — but also a reminder: even clear callings still require growth, humility, and dependence on Christ.

👉 https://red-letter-living.involve.me/spiritual-gift-quiz

After you finish:

Quick clarity note: I didn’t create this assessment, but while searching for a free, solid tool, the Red Letter connection stood out immediately. After reviewing it, this is the one for us. Gift descriptions can be found here:

Before I ever sensed a call to preach and teach, others recognized God’s anointing and gifting in me. Ask Nina and I, I was terrified to preach at home to Nina, Ella and her teddy bears.

Paul tells us the church grows when every part does its work (Ephesians 4:16). That means we don’t just ask, “What do I think my gifts are?”
We also ask, “What do others see God doing through me?”

Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey identifying the top three gifts you see in each other:

This is not about comparison.
It’s about confirmation.

This is how teams are formed.
This is how unity deepens.
This is how the church is built — not on charisma or ambition, but on grace, truth, and Christ at the center.

Let’s lean in.
God is already at work among us.

As we continue waiting on approval and financing from NAMB, I want you to know we’re not sitting idle.

What’s interesting is how consistent the message is:

That’s why our current focus isn’t rushing ahead, but being centered on Christ — spiritually, relationally, and as families.

You have received a previous email with a guide to read all the Red Letters by the end of 2026. It is not overwhelming and gives everyone a place to be centered on Christ. This is meant as a guide, especially for the parents leading their children.

Red Letter Reading Plan – 2026
Scripture: Matthew 3:13–17; John 1:29–51

Choose a regular time and place.
Remove distractions.
Remind one another: We are meeting with God through His Word.

Read Matthew 3:13–17 together — one verse at a time.

Encourage each person to:

Later in the week, continue with John 1:29–51 using the same slow pace.

(Ideally you should be in the Word at least 4 times a week)

As you read, invite everyone (kids included!) to:

Remind your family:
Questions are welcome. Curiosity is often the doorway to deeper faith.

Before Jesus performs a miracle…
Before He preaches a sermon…
Before He calls disciples…

God the Father speaks.

At Jesus’ baptism, the Trinity is revealed:

Jesus begins His public ministry not with action, but with identity.

In John 1, Jesus invites the first disciples with simple words: “Come and see.” They spend time with Him — and then they bring others.

Big Truth:
The Christian life begins not with doing for Jesus, but with being with Jesus.

Choose one or two:

Let answers be simple. Silence is okay.

Thank God for revealing His Son.
Ask for hearts that love truth and follow Jesus.
Pray that your home would be shaped by God’s Word this week.

A short, sincere prayer is enough.

This week:

God often grows us one verse at a time.

Family worship does not require perfection.
Faithfulness grows through Scripture, prayer, and consistency.

Christ is honored when His Word is opened in the home.

This Wednesday at 6:30 PM (eastern), we’ll start our study in Ephesians, focusing on 1:1–14 — one of the most identity-shaping passages in all of Scripture.

If you’ve ever wondered who you really are in Christ, this passage answers it.

👉 Join us on Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89461198727?pwd=aRLUqt1dUZp9lDgjCwPzptVJvo53c9.1

Come as you are. Bring your questions. Bring your Bible. Come expecting Jesus to show up!

God is stretching us, He may even step on our toes — but never to break em.
He stretches so we can hold more of Him, more trust, more unity, and more faith.

Let’s stay rooted. Let’s stay close.
And let’s keep Christ at the center of everything.

For His Glory,
Pastor Dillon Evans