Greetings!

What a privilege it is to write you as the fifth President of Cadence International. Our family has served with Cadence for nearly 20 years, and we have been shaped deeply by this ministry as God has worked in us and around us while we were singles, newly married, and now with a growing family. It has been a sweet and joy-filled ride.

As a family of six, we have quite an array of personalities, temperaments, and preferences. God has brought us together to live and love out of an overflow of His rescuing and redeeming work in our lives. Yet we are a cast of unlikely characters living what I can only describe as holy chaos. Our messiness and differences highlight the beauty of God’s grace in our lives, the depth of our relationships, and the unique traits, passions, and gifts that we bring to this life and each other. What a privilege to live and lead with a family like this.

As I reflect on the gift of this mission, I am deeply reminded that the gospel not only rescues us from sin but also brings us into a family, a people united in Christ. Scripture calls us to “walk in a manner worthy of our calling, bearing with one another in love and eagerly maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3). This unity is built on the shared reality that we belong to Jesus. In a world marked by division, we as the people of God stand as a witness to a better way. We are people formed by grace and held together by the cross. This is lived out in our homes and communities. It is who we are.

I want to express my sincere gratitude for each of you. Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you … because of your partnership in the gospel” (Philippians 1:3–5). I thank God for your faith, sacrifice, and participation in this work of the gospel. May we embrace the journey with this unlikely cast of characters as we lay our lives down for the sake of Christ, side by side and with joy, knowing that what God is building among us is only the beginning of what He will do through the lives of military people, as we commit our way to faith-filled obedience. What a privilege to live and lead with a family like this. Here we go!

Dave Hutchings
President

“Really, God?”

Am I the only one who asks that question from time to time? Over and over, I have found myself in new environments. Military moves, different ministry locations, and changing seasons of life bring new relationships and variables, and it can be so easy in those moments to feel the weight of change.

There are days I wish my circumstances were more comfortable or that I had more or less of something. At times, when an obstacle lies in my path, I am once again faced with the decision of how to respond to it. When I am walking in the Spirit, I desire to live fully where the Lord has placed me. But when I walk in the flesh, it’s easy to find reasons to complain or resist, and then I miss what God wants to do in the present moment.

As a family, we have been searching the Scriptures for those things that God commands us to do. It has been both rich and challenging. The four most common commands we find in Scripture are these:

• Give thanks
• Praise the Lord
• Rejoice
• Do not fear

When we examine our present circumstances through the lens of these four commands, our entire perspective changes. We find that our hearts and minds stop searching for answers, and we find purpose, peace, and power from the Lord, sufficient for us in the present moment.

Whatever circumstances you find yourself in today, I invite you to approach them with these four clear and loving commands of God in mind. May you find His power, His peace, and His purpose this day. You are right where you need to be.

By His Spirit,
Dave Hutchings
VP for Field Ministries