Transition Transition Transition… oh, and Transition

May is all about transition. The sun transitions to a more visible position. Seniors say their final words of wisdom to the underclassmen before they head out to the real world. Staff families take off to lead in their summer mission assignments known as Summer Projects. Students transition out of their regular schedules. And I… well… I have just been announced as the Jersey Metro Cru female director!

One thing that is not changing this season is my location! This summer I will be working alongside Mark Scott, Jersey Metro male director, to plan how we will help guide the team for next year. I am also coaching new and returning interns on how to raise up their ministry team so that they can be fully supported as they enter into the full-time mission field. Please pray that I grow in discipline with my time and my relationship with the Lord as I lead in these new roles.

Tab, Laura, Nicole, Lakesha (new Kean Cru pres), Kassy, Sarah

I’m excited to announce that Laura Fairchild, former president of Kean Cru who I discipled from her freshman year, is now raising support to intern with our Mid-Atlantic regional office! She will be using her degree in accounting to be a support and resource to our staff across the region. 
I’m so proud of her willingness to take such a large step of faith to raise her salary for the next year as she surrenders her “American Dream” to serve her King full-time for a year. Especially as the first African-American woman to serve in that office! Please pray for her to meet those who God is calling to financially support her so that she can report in August.

Please also keep in prayer our Jersey Metro staff team who are serving this summer in the Dominican Republic, Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, and those staying in New Jersey. Many of our team needs more financial support in order to stay full-time campus ministers. Some have yet to even report because of this.  Please continue to pray as we trust the Lord with all these things this summer.

8PM Midnight Prayer

This is happening tonight! Shining a light at Rutgers University in New Brunswick only a week away from Halloween! Please cover us in your prayers team!

#GetOutThere

#GetOutThere

Most students are distracted by classes, campus activities and jobs and can easily forget about their role as missionaries to their campus. One of the ways we are hoping to encourage them to remember to reach the state for Christ is to encourage students to use #GetOutThere whenever they do an activity that brings more attention to the name and character of Jesus Christ.

 

#Kean Cru leaders planning to #GetOutThere #ForChrist

A hash tag (#) before a comment is a huge way this generation communicates their true feelings, thoughts or opinions about a subject or picture. It also helps categorize all of the pictures or comments referring to that (similar to storing in a folder).

*see example on right

To be all things to all people, the Jersey Metro Cru staff team decided to use #GetOutThere to celebrate God’s work through the steps of faith students are taking. We will know when they take steps of faith to share the Gospel, pray or have an outreach because it will be under the category #GetOutThere and then we can share stories at our statewide meeting, Jersey Cru.

Sent!

100% Sent

One of our goals as a ministry nationwide is that 100% of our students would know that they are “sent” by God to help fulfill the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20.  Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, had a desire to see our generation bring the Good News to everyone, everywhere. To do this, we need to be faithful 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul entreats Timothy to teach what he’s learned to faithful men who will pass it on. We call that multiplication!

Since 2010, I’ve been full-time at Kean working with several young men and women who led the Cru movement there and now it is time to say goodbye to a strong few. I’m confident as these students move on to new areas to which God has called them, that they will seek the Lord diligently and learn how to serve Him in any area they are placed. But I’m sad to see them leave.

I’m especially sad to let go of some of the women I discipled: Sharon Hawkins - former president of Cru, Liscet Duran - a motivator and encourager of the movement at Kean, and Christa Diaz - a leader on campus who many followed and looked up to. I had the privilege of mentoring these women and seeing God transform them into His image to be a servant of the King. I will miss seeing them on the campus regularly although I’m sure our friendship will not cease.

 

Although sad to let some go, I am also proud to announce that Laura Fairchild (pictured right), who I’ve also disciple for two years now has just been voted in as president of Cru for next year. Please keep her in prayer as the Lord continues to mold her as His servant.

"I think God wanted us to meet..."

Sometimes I forget that this job I have is actually titled "missionary". Don't get me wrong, I always know who my boss is ;) and I am held accountable in many ways to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit as I do my job. But if I were honest, I sincerely enjoy my job! I get to talk to college students about the eternal love found in a Father who never runs out on them! 

This semester started quickly and has been moving by very fast but there was a sweet pause in the middle of February where I had a conversation that SLOWED ME DOWN! I had the opportunity to conduct a few video interviews with John Biddle, a co-worker on staff at our Regional Office in PA. We chose random college students at Kean University to tell us what they thought about God and spiritual things. "He's just a higher power - up there..." said Zuleika, a junior Latina who struggled with security in her personal relationship with God.

She continued "I looked to him like a Father -- someone I could talk to when i was struggling or even when something good was happening." But she felt estranged from him; "little by little there's been separation between us." I could NOT leave this conversation simply at a video interview! As the interview came to an end, in the confidence of His Word to always give us the words to say, I took a step of faith and asked Zuleika if we could continue the conversation off camera and inside a warm place.  "I think God wanted us to meet, so yeah - that would be nice." 

I took Zuleika into the University Center, where we continued our conversation about the nature of God and the seal of the Holy Spirit. On a scale of 1-10, Zuleika wanted to know God personally at the highest possible value! "Oh yeah. Definitely yes...but I think I did..." I immediately recognized her quick excitement turned disappointment and asked her if she had ever prayed to know God personally through the knowledge and reception of His Son, Jesus. "Yes, I think so. But I don't know - I've been so busy. I don't think I could ever go back to church." 

One of the main reasons I made the decision to join staff was to help bridge the knowledge so many young Christian adults have of Jesus Christ and it's application to their lives. Many don't stand up for their faith or continue to represent Christ because they never really learned who He was and they never understood why it was such a big deal. That day, I explained how big a deal Jesus is and how His love NEVER fails, NEVER gives up, and NEVER runs out on us -- even if we have tried running from Him. He is a Father who NEVER abandons us!

After I prayer with Zuleika to rededicate her life to Christ, she commented: "I know God wanted me to run into you. Thank you so much for stopping to talk to me! Can I have your phone number to talk to you some more about God and Jesus?" Uhh....YES!! 

Just a few short minutes later, I met another young woman who was visibly upset with God for taking her religious aunt out of this world and leaving her 18 year old daughter alone. Having had just lost my aunt as well, I asked if I could pray for her even though she didn't believe in God because I knew He would hear my prayer to bring her comfort. Immediately after our prayer, this second student looked up to me with tears in her eyes and said "WOW...can I hug you? I've never had anyone pray for me before! Thanks so much!! You have no idea what this means to me!"

*Please continue to pray for these two young women as they go about their college careers.
**If you're interested in seeing the video, click here to watch.

To God be the Glory

Christa screaming "Jesus!"

Kean Cru News

           I’ve been tempted this semester to feel discouraged as though nothing is happening with the movement at Kean but the truth is God is working a lot! Yet at our last Jersey Cru of the semester, Christa Diaz, Kean Cru leader was able to give her testimony about bringing God glory.

           Earlier this semester my dear sister in Christ and disciple, Christa Diaz, ran for and won the Homecoming Queen title at Kean. This University is not known to show favor in any way to the Christian students and yet in a stadium full of football fans, they mentioned Jesus Christ’s name because of Christa’s involvement and leadership in the ministry at Kean! 

"Right after it was all over, I went to my room and had a Quiet time with the Lord. For me it was just a great picture of how we're going to cast our crowns at the feet of Jesus in heaven. It was a wonderful experience to give Him all the glory!"  - Christa Diaz at Jersey Cru

          Influenced by her passion for Jesus, a student journalist for the Kean ExChange (student media journal) asked if he could video interview several of the members of Cru to find out more about what it is that Homecoming Queen, Christa Diaz, is passionate about. “What is it about Cru that causes so many people to come out?” he asked. “Well, we all have one goal in common and that’s to glorify Jesus!” stated Liscet Duran, last year’s Homecoming runner up and current graduate leader with Kean Cru.

          The same week a follow up video of the Homecoming King & Queen was released, this video on “Kean Cru—a Campus Crusade for Christ Ministry” was posted online just alongside it. Christa’s comments on Jesus were edited out of the homecoming video, but God still got all the glory from the Cru video which mentions Jesus name repeatedly through students!

 

Generosity develops Joy

Just yesterday, I posted about how "Generosity develops Growth". When God's people sell all their possessions (like in Acts 2) and give to one another to help build the body of Christ so they can expand the kingdom of God, they are growing a movement for God. Acts 2:42-47 is a prime example of a godly community truly surrendered to Christ in every aspect of their lives.

What I learned today from some of you is that when someone in the body of Christ is generous, it develops a deep joy and appreciatio, not only for that person, but for God who laid it on that person's heart. Tonight at Cru, 11 students prayerfully decided to attend Fall Retreat from Kean Cru. Four of them said they can pay $50 and would need scholarships for the rest. They others have freshmen scholarships and can pay the rest. One girl came to me and admitted she really wanted to go but previously made a commitment to her church so instead asked if she could scholarship someone $60! Now one other student only needs to raise or come up with $39. :)

How great is God to provide?! I don't know where the last four scholarships of $49 will come from but I'm not concerned because my God always comes through!

If you think you are one of the ways He is coming through and would lie to scholarship one of these students to be challenged to lift the veils of their lives, you can visit give.ccci.org and give to account # 2868515. That's the Kean Cru account specifically.

A Social Community

Playing Mafia in the freshmen lounge

Last Wednesday, at Kean, we had an Ice Cream Social. It's so fun meeting new freshmen who want to get involved in a Christian group on campus. We played MAFIA, a card game where you guess each persons character, and the students really enjoyed themselves. They were laughing so hard, the Kean police stopped by to see what all the noise was about! Haha!

The week before that, we played ManHunt and the week before that, we had a game night! Freshmen have had multiple chances to see and hear us. Especially those who live on campus! :) This week was our first Kean Cru Bible Study and I had the privilege of speaking on who we are and why we exist as a caring community passionate about connecting people to Jesus Christ. Check out my presentation on prezi.com (on the right).

Game night

Thanks to those who just prayed for this event and for those who gave $ to purchase the ice cream! :)