Still breathing...

We appreciate you.  Your faithful friendship and giving to our family and ministry is humbling and encouraging.  We could not serve here at Cru without you.  We can’t express what you mean to us enough.

At my “end of the year” review with my director, there was an overriding theme that came out:  lack of margin.  As you may know, over the last year and a half, on top of my regular job of directing our HR team for our headquarters and Americans serving internationally, I’ve served as the “interim” LDHR director for our new Digital Strategies team.  I  also serve as the U.S. Crisis Manager, and am leading the development of a new feedback process for Cru staff.

The problem is, I like all of this.  When I see a new problem, I want to solve it.  Every time I meet with someone on my team, I think “I’d like to do that.” 

There is a price to pay for saying yes to too many things.  The pace is too fast for too long, and I neglect important things.  One of them is keeping in touch with you, and I apologize for that.  I want to ask your forgiveness for not communicating about our ministry like I want to do.  Thank you for your faithfulness through this time.

I will say that I’m very encouraged about Cru and the part you and we play in the ministry.  This summer, for example, 1,200 student participated in summer projects in the states and overseas.  We had 17 students serve internships at our World Headquarters this summer in roles using their skills in finance, computers, and film making.

If you ask any missionary organization, they will tell you that while we always want to send laborers to the field, operational needs are among the highest.  This project is to help students see they can use their skills in the ministry.  Several are considering joining us after graduation.

I'd love for you to read the story of one outreach they had at the University of Central Florida HERE at Cru.org

In late July most of us went to West Tennessee for a reunion of my Dad's family.  He is the youngest of 11 kids, and we had a lot of fun there, and traveling back and forth...but the car seems a bit more crowded with adult kids!

The next few weeks are significant for our family.  Aubrey is moving to Boston to begin grad school at Brandeis (Musicology); Luke will begin his second year at Rollins (this year living on campus); Macy will get braces next week!  Please pray for us and for me to live with more margin!

We love and appreciate you!

Summer Projects!

Right now, thousands of college students are on a life changing summer experience. Take a minute, if you will, to check out our Summer Project website to see where students are going and what they are doing right now!

"Imagine a summer that could change cities, countries, and continents around the globe while also forever transforming your life.  A summer that propels you into a deeper walk with God and gives you greater confidence in making Him known, a summer that develops your leadership skills and begins friendships you'll take with you throughout your life.

For over 40 years, hundreds of thousands of students have taken advantge of summer mission projects--a life chaning, world rocking ministry opportunity through Cru."

Summer Mission Projects are going on now for Cru staff and students.  As a ministry, this is a signficant part of developing our students and staff.  Projects are often described as spiritual greenhouses.  Students might say it is "like drinking from a fire hose," but when they return to campus in the fall, it is with increased motivation and vision and being better equipped to introduce others to Christ and help them grow in their faith.

We are very close to two of these projects.  The Orlando Summer Project will once again bring students to intern at our World Headquarters and to grow in their faith.  The MK2MK (missionary kid to missionary kid) project, which is launched from my team, will be in Chiang Mai Thailand this year.  Seventy nine high school students will be participating.

Please pray with us for God to use the Summer Projects in the lives of these students, and for many to come to know Christ through their ministry.  Also, pray that God will lead many of the Orlando Project students to use their skills (accounting, programming, HR, etc) skills full time in our ministry.

Thanks for your part in changing lives and reaching the world.  It is an honor to serve with you!

What's new with all of us

We have had an eventful spring this year and as we enter summer, here's some pictures for an update.

Here we are at Easter with one addition.  We have loved hosting Emily Atkins, a Cru staff kid from England for three months this spring.  She has been interning in our Cru Digital Strategies team doing analytics before she begins at her university this fall.  She's been a delight

Aubrey performed her last piece at Rollins this spring, so we showered her with flowers.    She performed her own composition that you can listen to here.  

Macy took a volleyball class, and then attended a soccer camp this spring.  She has also taken up biking the neighborhood on her "loop" several times a day.  She's getting big and we're enjoying her new athletic endeavors.  She's ready to attend a slew of Vacation Bible Schools this summer.

Luke pitched during his freshman year at Rollins College on the JV team.  He did very well, and gave up only 1.4 earned runs per game.  He's recovered fully from his broken leg last summer and is looking forward to a year of healthiness this fall.

Aubrey graduated from Rollins and is headed to Brandeis University in Boston this fall to study Musicology!

We stopped in Baltimore to visit Cara and Perry and spent some time at the waterfront.  Perry is in this picture, he just made sure he was squarely behind Catelin.  But you can still see his left leg!