So how close are we to the end of the year? IF a whole year were represented by one 24 hour day, Dec 7th puts us with one hour and 34 minutes “before midnight” when the new year begins! In NFL terminology I think that could probably count as The Two Minute Warning!

Thanks for the jolt of panic, Tim! So what’s your point? As we breeze through the last days of 2025, there are two topics I want to talk about, starting with how things are looking with my budget. Below is my dashboard from Donor Elf. This is what IV staff use to track donations. There are a few things I’d like you to catch (that may not be obvious from all the numbers).

Donor Elf reminds me what my annual target is – by the end of June (our fiscal year) I need to raise $128K to cover my entire budget. That includes my salary. My health insurance. The amount I’m setting aside for retirement. All my ministry expenses including travel. And my training and conferences.

Click here to be taken to Tim’s donation page at InterVarsity.

Thank you so much for your part in keeping me funded year after year. The past couple of years I’ve been able to build my budget to the point that I am now actually on InterVarsity’s pay-scale where my salary level says I can be! This hasn’t always been the case. Thanks to several new donors and increases from many current donors, I’ve got a good shot at reaching full salary and full budget by June 30th.

A few other realities:

• I never meet budget just through gifts that come in monthly. Lots of you give one time annually. About half my annual donors do that about now. About half do that in the spring.
• When donations get that boost in December, my bottom line usually goes from deficit to “back in the black”.
• Currently my account is running a $5,000 deficit.
• I ended last fiscal year (June 2025) several thousand in OVERAGE because of some surprise one time gifts.
• I have also lost three donors this fall. One due to a job cut. One who just needed to discontinue. And one supporting church had to close it’s doors! I’ll need to replace a total of $4.9K.

Consequently… a few things you always hear me say in December:

• IF you are able to continue your support (whether that is monthly or annually) I’d be so grateful for your ongoing generosity. If you plan to make no changes to your giving, no need to reach out to me. Thank you so much for your faithful partnership!
• IF you need to adjust your giving, reduce your giving or stop sending gifts, please do let me know what your plans are. It would be really helpful for me to know that so I can make some changes on my end. Just email me at the link below or text me via PBR.
• IF you are able to increase your giving some I’d love to know that and help you make that change. Please text me, call me or email me! Changing your electronic giving is very easy to do.
• The link above will take you to my page on InterVarsity’s donation site. If you would like to give your annual gift between now and the end of the year use this link. I’ll also send it out a couple more times before Dec 31st.

And SPEAKING OF DEC 31st

Topic number two: This is an Urbana year! InterVarsity is hosting it’s triennial Missions Conference this time in Phoenix, Arizona. If you’d like a look at the theme, schedule and list of speakers, feel free to visit the Urbana website. I’d really appreciate prayers for one of our GFM students here in Omaha who will be attending Urbana. I’ll tell you a little more about her in coming posts, but for now, please be praying for Jaicy! She’ll be a small group leader at Urbana. She’s a UNMC employee who is in her first year of Creighton’s MBA program.

Thanks so much!