January Update

Here we are. 2020 is here. And with the new decade and year come fresh opportunities. I believe God is doing great things, and I feel so fortunate to be part of His kingdom here on earth. It has been a privilege to watch Him work over the last 20+ years of ministry.

I look forward to everything He will do in the years to come.

With the start of the new year, I wanted to give a January update, but also expand it a bit to a 2020 preview. God has opened some new doors for me this year, and I need your prayers for the task at hand. So, thanks for reading!

Personal Update

Though I'm writing this before Christmas Day, the Christmas season is always a wonderful one for the Holdridge Family. All our traditions are so fun. One of the advantages of having three daughters who are relatively close in age is that it's easy for our family to be sentimental. We never have to talk them into Christmastime traditions, and they won't let us forget any of them!

With 2020's arrival, our family jumps back into its busy flow of life. Lauren is hammering away at her junior year of high school and doing great. Violet is finishing up middle school, prepping to become a freshman next year. And June has dominated her first year of middle school as a sixth-grader. I am so proud of each of them. They are all unique and special. I know God has big plans for them.

Christina and I are excited about all the new year will bring. We have been talking and praying lately about how to help younger parents and marriages, something for which we've always had a heart. And, as we age, we are sensing God's desire for us to step out a little more in teaching and training geared towards the family. But, personally, we are doing great, looking forward to a full spring schedule for each of our daughters. We will, together, help these girls get through all their commitments and responsibilities.

Pastoral Update

2020 will be the thirteenth year I have been the senior pastor of Calvary Monterey. It's hard to believe it's been that long already, and I feel like I have just started. There is so much work to do, and I think this year will be a major one for our church family and my pastoral work.

This January is significant, as our church will launch Tuesday Night Church on January 14. There, I will deliver a little over half the teachings. My goal on Tuesday nights is to teach Genesis to Malachi, the entire Old Testament. Other pastors will teach other books and subjects. I think it will be an essential part of our church's life and legacy. And, man, I can't wait to teach Genesis to start. What a beautiful book.

Also this month, I'm looking forward to speaking at our regional high school camp in late January. The theme is the "I AM" statements of Christ, and I will teach on Jesus' words, "I am the resurrection and the life." I can't wait to talk to the kids about the truthfulness and uniqueness of Christ's resurrection and how it wins a future resurrection for all His children.

On Sundays in January, we will finish out our study through 1-3 John, and then get into the book of Mark. His gospel record is powerful and fast paced. It highlights Jesus as the Servant who came to save. And, since it is a book of action, we will be able to really see the life of Jesus. Since Jesus called us to follow Him, knowing how He lived is of utmost importance. It will take us a long time, maybe two years, to get through the book. But it is so rich. I can't wait to teach it.

I am also curious to see if 2020 marks the beginning of a new building project at Calvary. We have been sitting on land and water rights for many years now, and with a cramped kids' ministry, parking lot, and sanctuary, now might be the time to break ground on a new building. This would help us alleviate the crunch of too little space. We will see if this is what God has for us this year. He must open the doors!

Plans: nateholdridge.com

I did want to take a moment to lay out the 2020 plan for nateholdridge.com. I have been busy preparing the articles, and I thought it would be good to let you know what my plan is for the first half of this year. I want you to know what to expect from me in the new year.

Each week, my posting schedule will be as follows:

• Monday: Archived Post -- this is a way for me to reintroduce an older piece to you. For most of you, it will be just like receiving a new post.
• Tuesday: New Post
• Wednesday: longer post -- new book chapters, old book excerpts, or articles I've written for calvarychapel.com.
• Thursday: New Post
• Friday: Archived Post
• Saturday: none
• Sunday: My Sunday teaching notes or manuscript (if I am in the pulpit that week).

If you are on the email list, you will get each post the following day. Thank you all so much for reading. We will see if this posting schedule is manageable for me (and for you), reassessing sometime around June.

Additionally, we will post the Tuesday Night Church Genesis teachings to nateholdridge.com as well. They will replace my older Genesis series, as I'm trusting it will be better than the last time around!

New Book Alert!

A few years ago, I taught the book of Ephesians at Calvary Monterey. As I did, I also wrote a rough draft of a book on Ephesians. Now, this January, the book is ready for release.

The title is Christ Unites (How Jesus Connects His People To His Purpose). This is how I see the book of Ephesians. Jesus is the head of the church. He has a desire to connect everything we are to Himself. He is uniting our attitudes, loves, actions, parenting, marriages, habits, and cares to Himself as the head. He is uniting us to His plan.

Grab it on Amazon when it releases in a few weeks!

Prayer Requests

• God's blessing on Tuesday Night Church
• Calvary Monterey High School camp
• The start of Mark
• The successful release of Christ Unites
• Violet: she turns 14 at the end of the month!
• For my girls to have endurance during the second half of the school year
• For our marriage to grow in Christlikeness like never before