We are in the home stretch of our time in Colorado and we have spent the last few days at a conference held for all the staff who work for Campus Crusade for Christ (this is the organization we work for). I don't talk much about our ministry on here and I'm not exactly sure why. It's not because I'm ashamed. I think it started that way because I was concerned about our security possibly with this blog being public reading material and I do show pics of our house and kids a lot. Anyway, for whatever reason, I haven't talked a ton about Campus Crusade and what we do. I'm sure it seems odd to some of you that we pack up and leave our home for weeks on end almost every summer. Sometimes it's to the beach and sometimes it's out here to Colorado. This is our normal though and it's something I really treasure about what we do. It's not always easy to pack up and leave your home and figure out all the details that go along with that...but we always enjoy our time out here and our time on other various missions projects we go on. It all boils down to being a part of the Lord calling people unto Himself and into His kingdom. We feel like it's such a honor to invest the good news of Jesus Christ into college students lives and in turn send them out into the world to do the same. God changed our lives with His gospel, and we want to be a part of Him doing the same in other's lives. Now you may be confused and thinking that I am a stay at home mom! Well, I am! That's the great thing about working for Campus Crusade...I get to technically still be employed by them, but my full time job is to invest and disciple my children! What an honor that is. I still have some involvement with our ministry at Alabama but it is definitely limited by my 3 (and soon to be 4) little ones. However, I am so thankful to be part of a mission organization who truly honors and lifts up the role of motherhood...because it is a calling for sure!
The last few days of our conference have been really good. We have connected with lots of friends and we have been hearing so many stories of how God is at work around the world through Campus Crusade for Christ. It's really amazing to be a part of such a movement that loves Christ and wants to make Him known above all else. This year, we celebrate 60 years as a ministry. The lives changed as a result of one man's (Bill Bright) vision in 1951 are staggering. I love to see how God uses ordinary sinners like us for His glory around the world!
We got to hear from Francis Chan (well known author of Crazy Love, Forgotten God, and Erasing Hell) a couple of times and God continues to really challenge me in my walk with Him, but also just how I am living out my faith. I am convicted that so much of my life can be lukewarm and possibly not that different from someone whose life hasn't been changed by Jesus. I want to be full of faith and open to whatever the Lord calls me to. I do feel like God has grown me in this and I am humbled to see Him at work at some of the small steps of faith I have taken recently. I am challenged to do even more...and to truly consider what I am doing or how I am living that requires faith. Because when I take an honest look at my day to day life...not much of it takes a lot of faith or surrender.
One of the biggest things that happened this week was that Campus Crusade for Christ unveiled the plan that we are changing our US based ministry name (we have segments of our ministry all over the world and they all changed their names a long time ago) to Cru. We are dropping Campus Crusade for Christ and will just be known as Cru. You may have heard about this on the news and we have all been surprised at the slant the media has taken. If you want to know more about this name change, one of our co-workers has a great blog post on it here. If you want to go to the official site from Cru to read about why we are changing our name then click here.
So, there you go....lots of thoughts and details about our ministry and what God is doing in my heart. If you made it this far, yay!! So many of you are faithful partners and prayer warriors of our ministry and we are so grateful. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we look forward to returning to Alabama this week and gearing up for our 10th year in ministry (that seems so crazy to me)! It's always an exciting time for us as we anticipate all that God is going to do in students lives in Tuscaloosa.
1 comment:
Hey, Rachel,
We've always found the use of the term Crusade in the name a bit confusing because of what the happened during the crusades in the name of Christ. So, with the unveiling of the new name, Dave and I are scratching our heads again at embracing the name (shortened though it may be) without considering why the term crusade in any Christian organization would be a good thing.
We don't deny the work of Christ in spite of the name, and we are grateful for the work you, Jeff, and so many of our other friends do for CCC, but we have to say, we aren't pleased with the name change. (I should add, that it doesn't even bother us as much that Christ isn't being used anymore rather what bothers us is the use of term Crusade "Cru" in a positive way.) That's the historian side of us. ;)
Praying for you as you minister in the name of Christ no matter how it looks! <3
Post a Comment