Matney: My last letter
Greetings, dear friends. Today will be the last monthly column I’ll be placing in the Vail Daily. This June, I will retire after 28 years of pastoral ministry here in the Vail Valley. My wife, Bilinda, and I will be moving to our house in Cedaredge, south of Grand Junction, east of Delta, and on the south slope of the Grand Mesa.
In retirement, I will continue ministering as a fill-in preacher for pastors on vacation, etc., and I plan to continue doing a lot of writing. I am currently working on several books, including a biography, some personal memoirs, various Bible studies, and a faith-based novel. I hope to finish and publish these after we retire.
The good people at the Vail Daily have said I could even send a column to them from time to time. Thank you, Editor Nate Peterson, for the opportunity to share God’s word with your readers. It has been a tremendous privilege.
Thank you, dear reader, for taking the time to read my columns and for the feedback you have given me. My email address will remain the same. It would be a privilege to hear from you. Get in touch with me and let’s do some fishing on the Grand Mesa!
Thank you, to the wonderful men and women of our church, New Life Assembly of God. You have kept the lights on and the doors open and have served God and our church from your hearts.
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Thank you, my dear fellow pastors in the Vail Pastors Network and the Vail Religious Foundation for your prayers and support. Thank you, 4 Eagle Ranch, Vail Valley Cares, United Way, Eagle County, and the many nonprofit leaders I have had the privilege of working with as I have led 4 Eagle Senior Care for the last 12 years. Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who work with me every week to serve the seniors of our area.
In closing, I would like to highlight a few of the 70-plus columns I’ve been privileged to place in the Vail Daily in the last seven years. Each article came from my heart to yours.
2018: My first column was on Oct. 14, 2018. It was titled, “Life or death,” and contrasted Halloween’s death and gore with the abundant life in Christ Jesus. In December, I highlighted the unity and good work of our local pastors and churches in collaboration with several of our community organizations.
2019: In March, “Finding the strength to fight another day,” I shared how a miraculous dream changed my life’s direction. July focused on addressing the suicide crisis in our valley, and November’s column highlighted Marietta Jaeger’s story of learning how to forgive the man who kidnapped and murdered her 7-year-old daughter.
2020: March featured “Wisdom from seniors” with heartwarming stories from 4 Eagle Senior Care. My July 4 column, “Heal our land” was followed by “Babylon” in September, reflecting on the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. October’s “A vaccine for the vitriol virus” urged respectful pandemic discussions.
2021: In February, “Proactive love” reflected on my wife and our 40-plus years of marriage. August’s “Though the mountains be washed into the sea” recounted the mudslides that closed I-70 in Glenwood Canyon and Nottingham Road in Avon. December’s “No room in the inn” tells the true story of a mother of young twins in an I-70 blizzard. All the hotels in Silverthorne were booked, but she was miraculously led to a room in Frisco. This story is one of my favorites.
2022: March’s “The power to bounce back” explored resilience in the trials of life. June’s “Will you give me a drink?” is the story from John Chapter 4, of Jesus asking for a drink of water from the woman at the well. The thing that caught my attention the most was Jesus’ humble, vulnerable, almost child-like request: “Will you give me a drink?” This question amazes me. The creator of rivers, streams, and springs of water is asking for a drink of water! The column explores Christ’s humility and how we can refresh the great heart of God. In December’s “The cradle, the cross, and the crown” I quote my favorite Christmas author, Max Lucado.
2023: March asked, “What advice would you give to your younger self?” In June I emphasized the Holy Spirit and Pentecost, September reviewed “Atomic habits” by James Clear, and November’s “When God ran” recounted the prodigal son’s story. December’s “The baby born in Bethlehem” shared about my trip to Bethlehem, Israel, with more quotes from Max Lucado.
2024: This year, I’ve written “Embarrassing my grandson,” about my foolishness at a basketball game. “Death, the last enemy,” touches on the car wreck in which my first wife died, and it explores God’s perspectives on death. “Dodging erasers!” is about living from our strengths, not our weaknesses, and “Coach Tim’s soccer team,” is a humorous, true story about keeping score God’s way. “An act of God?” is about Hurricane Helene.
To find these and my other columns online, you can go to my author page at VailDaily.com.
Merry Christmas!
Dan Matney is the pastor at New Life Assembly of God in Avon. Email him at pastordanmatney@hotmail.com.
