Invested

“How do you disciple someone? How would you share with someone the basics of walking with Jesus?  Can I disciple multiple women at one time in a group?” these are a few of the questions that Johanna (our intern) has been asking as she takes steps of faith to invest her life into students.  

Last year, Johanna was a senior heading for the medical field.  She’s super smart, loves Jesus, is very teachable, and one of the most genuine people I’ve met .  She was considering what to do with her gap year--the year she has before applying and entering medical school.  She decided to apply to be an intern on our team, using her time to serve the Kingdom with us.  We’re so glad she did!  She has been great provision for our team, leading the women’s side of our ministry.   She meets with women to share the gospel, go through discipleship material, and share her life with impressionable students learning to walk with Jesus.   

The response has been overwhelming (in a great way!).  More than a few students on campus have prayed to receive Jesus in their life with her this year.  It’s because of the Holy Spirit using Johanna to faithfully and sincerely offer the gospel, a chance to respond, and ways to grow to these precious women.  Andrew and I  are both blessed to invest in Johanna, Andrew on the ministry training side (answering practical questions like the ones above), and me (Patrice) on the care and doing-life-discipleship side.  

We’re so proud of her, grateful to the Lord for his perfect plans, and thankful for you, as your prayers and support make this work possible.  I am often blown away when I remember that this work we do together is eternal.  

This is a picture of God working through us to win students to Christ, to help grow and invest in them to go and make disciples of all nations.  We are so blessed by her decision to be open with this year to see God work in the lives of others and her own.  We will  shepherd her the best way we know how, and challenge her to take these skills and opportunities for her own growth to wherever God leads her.  Thanks for your investment in the kingdom to change the world, one student, intern, and staff at a time.  

Zach taking new steps of faith

Faith Steps

“Are you going to the Cru Winter Conference?”  Zach’s question caught me off guard, and struck me as a little bit funny.  I have gone to Cru Winter Conference for the past 11 years or so.  OF COURSE I’M GOING!   I didn’t say this of course, but answered “Yes,” and proceeded to tell him what a unique experience it is, and what great memories we have of it.  

Although Zach is one of our student leaders and he’s been around Cru at UW for a few years, he has never come to this conference, which is unusual.  This year, he’s coming.  We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again--This particular conference for students has been known to change the trajectory of a student’s life.  God uses it to call people into vocational ministry, challenges students to live missionally wherever they are, and allows them to gain God’s heart for the world, their campus, their family and friends and on and on.  For whatever reason, Zach had never chosen to go.  I liken this faith step of his to that scene in Indiana Jones where Indy must cross a great chasm but it looks as if nothing will hold his next step.  There is no apparent ground to support him, but he must choose to walk anyway.  And with each step, the ground that holds him appears, but not before.

We know this is a big deal for Zach.  There are a lot of unknowns for him.  I believe that God has something exciting in store for him.  Will you pray for him and others to be tuned in to experiencing all God has for them this Dec 28 - Jan 1 and beyond?

Rest and Refreshment

One of the things I have loved about my role here in greater Seattle is that I get to care for the whole person-student, staff, faculty, volunteer, or otherwise.  I get to fight for people to walk closely with the Lord, discern next best steps, care for their families, and take time and space to rest and recharge.  So after 17 years on staff, I had the opportunity to take a sabbatical for 6 weeks this summer, to reflect on some of these things for our family and role in ministry. As we are now praying and planning for the fall we can see the blessing and benefit of times of reflection and rest, that are vital to the immediate and long term health of us personally and for our team.  

“What is broken in this world that You need me specifically to bring healing toward?”  This is a question I pondered and asked the Lord. His answer was clear:  Marriages.  It’s a topic that has been on my heart and Patrice’s for a while now.  God has uniquely positioned us, our story, our experiences, with opportunities to bring hope.  We have begun to do premarital counseling with a handful of couples.  We feel honored and affirmed that God is presenting us opportunities to do this.  We don’t want to foolishly add to our plate, but during this season we feel we need to say yes.  In some ways we see it as a continuation of our work with staff, students, grads, and church community.  We want to bring health to the whole person.  I believe that how we model as a couple, family, deal with conflict, raise kids, deal with failure, and treat one another with honor--that these will have a greater impact than anything we say or preach.  

Even as I write these things.  I sense God pricking us, that this is significant and sacred work.  To enter into these private and revealing conversations.  To have the opportunity to ward off future hurts and pain, to bring wholeness and healing, to mend the pain of generations within our communities seems so awesome and yet I believe the enemy would want to throw everything at us to take us away from this incredible calling.  Please pray on our behalf. Contend with us for this important area of discipleship. I believe this is a long term goal in making disciples for the kingdom.