One of the greatest privileges we have at Christ’s Body Ministries is going out into the streets of Denver and meeting people exactly where they are. Our outreach is about more than food. It’s about presence. It’s about listening. It’s about prayer.

A few weeks ago, I experienced a moment that reminded me why we do what we do.

About ten months ago, Paul Gonzalez and I met a man named Julian Montoya during one of our outreach visits. At that time, Julian was facing some heavy things — court issues, addiction, homelessness, and a deep uncertainty about the direction of his life. We prayed with him right there on the street. We asked God to intervene. We asked God to open doors. We asked God to give him a new beginning.

And then, like often happens in street ministry, we didn’t see him again for months.

Three weeks ago, while we were serving at the Dream Center, a man walked up to me with a smile on his face. It was Julian. He said, “I just came out here to tell you I’m doing great.” He told me he was working. He had a place to live. His life had completely turned around.

Then he said something that deeply moved me: “You guys were a catalyst in my life. You helped turn my life around.”

Moments like that are powerful. They are humbling. They are sacred.

But let me be clear — we are not the true catalyst.

Jesus is.

It is the power of the Holy Spirit that changes lives. It is God who breaks chains. It is God who restores direction, dignity, and hope. All we do is show up. We serve a plate of food. We look someone in the eyes. We offer a prayer. And we trust that when we go before the throne of God, He can do what we never could.

Julian’s story is not just about one man. It’s about what happens when compassion meets obedience. It’s about what happens when someone is willing to stop, pray, and believe that God still transforms lives.

And I want you to know — this is only possible because of you.

Because of your partnership, we are able to go out weekly. Because of your generosity, we are able to feed, care for, and pray with men and women on the streets. Because of your faithfulness, we get to witness stories like Julian’s.

When someone says, “You were a catalyst,” what they’re really saying is that God used a community of people who cared enough to show up.

Thank you for being that community.

Thank you for helping us serve and care for the least of these.

Thank you for believing that prayer works.

God bless you.