Hello ,

It happened a while ago, but I will never forget seeing the elderly gentleman making his way towards me after the service.  I had just finished preaching about the love of God, and how He sent Jesus to rescue sinners from their broken lives.  

Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he approached me, and his bottom lip was trembling. "I got it, I got it!" he kept repeating over and over again.   When I inquired about his statement, he said the following to me: "I've been coming to church for years, putting in my time, trying to be good, doing what I thought to be right.  Until today I've never understood salvation and truly accepted Christ as my Savior...but today, I got it!"

I still have a difficult time relating this story without getting choked up.  As I stood there watching this elderly man rejoicing in his new-found Redeemer that afternoon, a thought came to me that has revolutionized my spiritual life:  There is no greater joy than seeing someone come to an understanding of Jesus, and giving their lives over into His loving care!

That though has been the driving force for the Open Word Daily e-Devotionals that I began sending out in November of 2009.  I had lost my own father in January of that year, and honestly, it was something that I wasn't prepared to go through.  In the last days of his life, I had conversations with my dad about spiritual things.  

My father struggled with dementia, and we were going through the painful process of saying our "good-byes" as we took care of him through his last days.  As I watched my dad's life slowly fade away, my heart was filled with only one thought..."I want to see him again."  I knew (and so did he), that the only way this could ever happen, would be if we both accepted Jesus as our personal friend and Savior.

It's all about Jesus!

Later that year, after being on the air with The Open Word radio show for 6 years, I wanted to find another way to attempt to connect people with Jesus.  The Open Word Daily e-Devotionals was born out of that desire.  

To date, I've been privileged to send out nearly 1800 messages to our subscribers.  If I'm completely transparent, some days seem pretty difficult as I struggle to know what to send that might touch someone's life.  I have my challenges as well, and sometimes those challenges come in the form of "mental blocks."  

God has been faithful to me over the past 5 years.  We had a few technical "hiccups," and I've even had a day or two when I just plain forgot to send out the Open Word e-Devotional for that day...but 99% of the time I've had the privilege of being consistent with getting these e-Devotionals out.

I'm asking for your help...and it's not financial!

God continues to bless this ministry with people who write me and tell me that it's blessing them in their spiritual journey.  We always seem to have just enough money to keep this ministry going every month.  Some of you participate in that, and I personally thank you for that!

I have never asked for money to operate this ministry, and through God's grace I don't plan to in the future...but I DO need your help.  I am praying about how we can increase our subscriber family member roster once again.  We now have hundreds of subscribers that receive the Open Word Daily e-Devotionals.  (I can recall when I was sending this out to only four people every morning).

Would you be willing to invite your friends and family to subscribe and receive the FREE Open Word Daily e-Devotionals?  A quick note from you might be all it would take to nudge them towards receiving this free daily devotional e-mail from me.  I never sell or rent names.  I am very careful with the trust that has been placed with me.  

Many of you send Open Word e-Devotional "forwards" to your friends each and every day.  I have one subscriber who sends more than 20 of these to friends and relatives on her e-mail list.  If you are one of these people who send forwards to your friends...thank-you!  Would you be willing to invite these people to become subscribers to The Open Word? 

Many things in life aren't FREE.  The Open Word is!  

An Open Word Daily e-Devotional subscription is FREE, and will remain so for as long as God wants me to continue publishing it.  Freely I have received, and I want to freely give to anyone who wants to receive this little e-Devotional every morning.

The subscription process is quite simple:

1. Have them visit the Open Word web page at www.openwordshow.org

2. They can sign up for a FREE subscription on the web form.  Once they have clicked the link in the confirmation e-mail that they will received...that's it!

Thank-you!  

That word doesn't seem adequate to let you know how much I appreciate your willingness to be part of the Open Word e-Devotional family...but I really do thank you for opening up these daily e-Devotionals, and for sharing them with your friends and family.  I've had the privilege of communicating with many of you, and I do my level best to answer each and every note from our subscriber family members.  I'm blessed to receive your trust.

People need the Lord, and it's my prayer that God is glorified, and that people will be brought a little closer to Jesus through reading The Open Word.  Thanks again!

Warmest Regards,

Pastor Mike / The Open Word