Behind the Scenes

In the early evening of Jan. 9th Leslie and the kids took cover under our stairs in a closet. A tornado warning had just been issued on Leslie’s phone. Being from the Midwest (IL, IN, OH) we knew better than to disregard the alert. The warning was a precaution for the storm headed toward our home which had the potential for a tornado. Taking proper cover to prevent a crisis seemed prudent. Flashlights illuminated the tight quarters as we played Uno and kept our dog from getting to our dinner. Memories were made that night.

Mike and Leslie both serve in the staff care department of Cru. We have the distinct privilege to provide proactive training and equipping to staff in the organization. Yet, we also have the responsibility and honor to come alongside our staff as they face a crisis. We provide care on multiple levels. While what we do may be unseen, behind closed doors and even confidential, we have the opportunity to be alight in some of the darkest times a staff person may have.

Much like being prepared for a tornado, our jobs ensure we have resources prepared and ready when a need arises. At times, it is providing resources that are preparation. At other times, it is entering into a time of crisis. It is a privileged place to serve!

 

Above: Mike works side by side with these women on a daily basis.

Below: Leslie leading a group of new staff through our stewardship training.

Above: The various staff care leaders throughout the ministry at a recent training.

Below: Leslie was one of the MPD coaches at a training for launching new staff.

The bad & good news of Christmas.

 

Jesus’s birth is both the worst and the best news ever and understanding both will change your life forever. Only when you accept the very, very bad news of Jesus’s birth will you then be excited about its very, very good news (Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp). 

The bad news of the Christmas story is human beings are born flawed, desperate condition and deluded, thanks to sin. The good news is God has a solution for man’s sin thus restoring relationship with God.  He sent His son, Jesus, an infant born to offer humanity the solution for the brokenness of sin. 

Tripp adds, Confessing our brokenness is the only way we will ever fully understand and celebrate the birth of the Messiah, Jesus. The Christmas story is not intended to teach you a bunch of moral lessons that require no history to be helpful.  The Christmas story is about a God of glorious grace on the march, invading human history with the grace of redemption.

In life and death, man has one hope, a sinless person, that is the glorious gift of Jesus.  This Christmas may you see with clear eyes the good news -- hope lay in a manager, the birth of a Savior.

Got GodTools

What if you could share the Gospel anywhere? GodTools is a free app you can download to your phone, a Gospel resources at your fingertips. This tool can help you engage in spiritual conversations with others ANYWHERE.

• Knowing God Personally
• The Four (symbols to explain the message of the Bible)
• Satisfied (presence of God’s Holy Spirit)
• AND MORE

*Tips and Ideas to help you share your Faith as well as Christian Growth.
*“Openers”- a recent new feature. Fun and interesting questions organized into 14 categories to help you begin conversations.

Haku arrived at University of California, Irvine (UCI) from Japan in early April for a 10-week ESL (English as a second language) course. In fact, it was Passion Week leading up to Easter, and Haku, whose Christian grandmother had taken him to church many times in his childhood, was eager to join the Good Friday and Easter church activities. Haku not only joined those services but continues to go to church with our teammates. He expressed much openness and joined many of our events, including the May 5-7 retreat at Yosemite. The only problem: he is just beginning to learn English, so communication in many areas has been difficult. God’s solution: Rachel.

Rachel is a transfer student from Oakland who was involved in our Bay Area Bridges ministry before coming to UCI two years ago. Rachel is an American student in the business school of UCI. She is a mature, committed, and excitable follower of Jesus, and she is fluent in Japanese! Rachel said, for some strange reason, God gave her a desire to join the trip for the first time. God is so good!

In the picture to the right, Haku and Rachel are seen using the Japanese function on the GodTools app. Trey is in the driver’s seat as we make our way through the Grapevine into LA, coaching Rachel as she shares the gospel in Japanese with Haku. Several of us--and a host of angels--were celebrating as Rachel led Haku in a Japanese prayer to begin his new relationship with God. A week later, one of our Japanese-American volunteers took Haku to a Japanese language church service. We hope to encourage and support Haku as best we can before he returns home in June.

GodTools STATS:

• Translated into 100 languages - can be shared with others in their own heart language.
• In 2022, the app was opened 577,730 times by 229,918 people in 216 countries/territories.
• Most opened tool is the Four Spiritual Laws
• Most completed lesson was the Family Lesson.
• Already this year, GodTools has already been opened by 500,000 people
• It's been downloaded over 1 million times on Android alone since it first started (2010).

Download at: http://bit.ly/godtoolsapp

In an Instant

On a Wednesday night in early May, our family was traveling eastbound on a major road in Orlando. Traffic was the normal flow. The SUV in front of us was abruptly stopping, later to find out the car in front of him was “break checking” the driver in front of us. We were in a car accident and airbags deployed. Our car totaled!

While at the scene of the accident, I was starting to experience pain. While not overwhelming enough to take the ambulance, our youngest son Zachary and I did go to the ER that night. Zachary was released after being evaluated for the bump on his head, while I remained in the ER the entire night. At 2am the doctor came in and said the CT scan taken to assess pain from the accident came back normal, but we did find something else, “a nodule on your left lung. We are going to take another CT scan, it could be cancerous. But you need to see a pulmonologist.”

That 8 hour span changed our lives in an instant. May-July Leslie underwent 4 CT scans, 4 blood draws, 2 ER visits, ongoing medical practitioner visits and various medical tests. BUT, God had a plan. The nodule healed — gone on its own! WHAT A PRAISE! Going from “I may have cancer to it’s GONE!” (The pulmonologist and the entire tumor board he presented my case to were quite surprised as well. A follow-up CT scan is schedule for 6 months, just to be sure.)

In a similar way, the GOSPEL changes lives in an instant. Eternal separation from God to forever home in heaven with Him. Freedom through life giving grace and forgiveness. In an instant, Jesus’ death paid for ALL, each man’s sins, and making possible salvation from God’s wrath.

While we still experience the ravages of sin, we have hope. Minutes after this car accident, standing in front of the mangled front bumper and engine compartment, I had this look of “what are we going to do!” My husband replied, “God must be up to something!” That simple statement garnered hope in my physically pained body.

In May Leslie lead a training (Ministry Partner Development Launch) for 33 Lake Hart Stint (Leadership development program) participants. This training equipped them with the latest tools to cast vision for their new ministry assignments, dispel lies from the enemy, best practices in engaging potential ministry partners, as well as prepare them for their transition.

Mike gave a talk on transition which gave the participants a framework for the emotional realities of the broad changes happening in their lives. Mike and I had a BLAST equipping these staff to be fully funded, financially faithful and fully engaged in the mission!

Some comments from the participants:

Thank you so much! I expected more practical about our specifics (my MPD role, our specific goal, etc) but it tended more motivational. The content was good!

Knowing our audience and my eyes opened to see strategies related to our audience. That feels exciting and fun!

SO GOOD to name & normalize what comes with transition & change. Do this [transitions talk] again!!

Really appreciated Mike's talk on transition with the actual emotional realities in the MPD process.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

-For Mike to receive wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit as he makes weighty decisions regarding the staff he cares for and overseas.

-For the 19 staff Leslie has coached this summer in her MPD ReConnect groups, they’d experience God is fresh ways and persevere in their present circumstances.

PRAISES:

-Benjamin, our oldest, made the decision to be baptized in May! (photo on rt.)
-Mike’s talk on Transition was impacting and requested to be included in future trainings.

Pople and Prayer

It was a Friday, February morning, I drove a friend to her out-patient medical appointment. After my fasting friend had checked in for her appointment, I said “let me pray” knowing her nerves were on edge with this unwelcomed procedure. My friend walked through to the patient waiting room doors and I turned out the front doors of the medical building. As I turned, this woman in black scrubs with hair pulled back and wearing a face mask said to me, “would you pray for me?” I was taken aback. No one has previously stopped me in my tracks in public. Pray for Josephine and her grown daughters.

I get the privilege of training and equipping our staff to be fully funded and financially faithful laborers. I thoroughly love and am called to equip, train and disciple brothers and sisters in Christ so that they can be mobilized to serve at their best for God’s Glory winning others to Christ so that the Gospel is shared.

I (Leslie) just concluded a 9-week coaching group with these two couples. These two couples are traveling this summer to countries that are less resourced.

Julie and Tracy Dykes

Years on staff: 35 this summer

What is your ministry/What do you do: mk2mk team; We equip adult MKs (Missionary Kids) to disciple & mentor school-age MKs through internships, conferences, summer missions and care trips, both locally and on the field where they are serving with their families. We also resource parents who are raising kids on the mission field, and in the midst of transition.

WHY/vision/what keeps you going: Care and training for MKs is critical for missionary families to thrive on the field and reach people for Christ. We offer training, resources, opportunities, and care for missionary families around the world.

Summer Mission trip to South Africa. We'll be serving alongside the 28 high school MKs, 8 interns and 6 other staff partnering with a local church to do a variety of ministries around the community (VBS, hospice care, evangelism, leading youth groups, etc).

Tracy is co-directing the project and Julie the Ops/Finance person, but we also oversee the interns who in turn over-see the HS MKs in mentoring, leading/training and encouraging them.

Becky and Bob Otten

Years on staff: 28.5

What is your ministry/What do you do: City Global - Help send staff overseas and care for their growth while in the field, and nurture indigenous staff to thrive as spiritual leaders in a large region of closed countries.

WHY/vision/what keeps you going: People need encouragement in the life long process of growing in Christ, specially where there is little to no Christian presence.

Summer Mission: trip to Turkey

Prayer requests:

• Pray for the planning and preparations for MPD Launch training Leslie is overseeing for the leadership development program called Lake Hart Stint (This is the10 month program when we initially came to FL.) Pray God would prepare the participants hearts to embrace biblical perspectives and they’d be well equipped for their next assignment.
• Our family as we add new therapies for one of our kiddos. Managing schedules and responsibilities.
• Leslie and the kids as Mike is away late April for a ministry conference. It’s hard single parenting.
• Mike as he takes on additional responsibilities in his role

PRAISES:

• Mike celebrated 25 years (in Feb.) on staff with Cru. (photo on rt.)
• Restful spring break with Leslie’s parents and her brother’s family.
• Leslie was able to attend the MPD Coaches Guild in Feb. A time of connecting with leadership, other coaches and using her skill of taking pictures. (Photo below of MPD Leaders that gathered prior to the Guild, where 90 coaches were present. Photo bottom rt. Hike during free time, enjoying God’s creation.)

Life and Death

In the world we live in, we experience this yo– yo of incredible joys and deep loss. I can’t help but think of all the billions of folks in our world who don’t know “eternal life” available to them! When people who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior die, the darkness of being eternally separated from God is their reality/fact. BUT GOD, we (Mike and I) have this incredible privilege to give others the opportunity so that “Everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus!”

In September, I (Leslie) helped train 38 new missionaries with Cru. These new Cru Staff members span recent college graduates, those who completed a year internship with Cru, even couples who are in their 60s! Hearing their call to ministry was a reminder of the incredible God we serve. Here are a few new staff In my workshop (photos below): One couple, from Ohio, joined staff with Family Life as they have been profoundly impacted by that ministry and their marriage is in a flourish state as a result. Another couple, retired from the military and have grandkids, are compelled to spread the Good news of Jesus Christ to those in military service. A young family man who worked with athletes shared his calling: “I was pushing athletes so hard to “win” the game, when what is more important is winning their souls for Christ on the athletic field.” 

His ministry assignment is on a collegiate campus to work with athletes.

What’s exciting is how God uses ordinary people serving as missionaries in: high school and college campuses, athletics, military forces, cities, neighborhoods, overseas…to draw those around them to Himself. The Harvest really is PLENTIFUL (in our neighborhoods, athletic teams, military bases, students…) There are many places where the Gospel isn’t. Early on in my ministry training I learned and memorized this scripture, and it is branded in my mind: “Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’ (Matthew 9:37-38).”

Thank you for your partnership to pour into, train and mobilize labors for the Harvest. Together we change lives, so they know Jesus personally and have eternal life.

LAUNCHED, LABORED, LIVING

It’s been a whirlwind summer! Here’s the recap and welcomed update. June 29th through July 28th was a month long road trip that included OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, OH (in that order). We visited both of our parents, our kid's cousins, and a handful of close friends and ministry partners. Yes, a whirlwind, but the hours in their company were sweet!

July 15th - 24th Milwaukee, WI -Cru staff conference.
Cru Staff Conference Highlights:

LAUNCHED *One evening during staff conference our family walked to a local deli and behind us two familiar faces entered as well. I (Leslie) coached Jared and Nic when they raised their initial support. It’s incredible to see the growth and fruit in these guys lives as I had the honor to walk with them through their application process, joining Cru, getting engaged, newlyweds, starting their families in a matter of two years. After grabbing a table together and catching up a bit, I asked them to share a highlight from this past year in their ministry. Both verbalized the various opportunities to meet with a variety of athletes on their assigned campuses. Jared and Nic in their 30s with growing families glowed as they added they are moving closer to campus so that their young families can be more involved with athletes. Jared is TALL– a former basketball player stands 7’ 2” tall. Jared and Nic both serve in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

LABORED Our staff conference behind the scenes role was a privilege to care for families of infants as they participated in the General Sessions. The prayer requests we received from the drop box were deep and vulnerable. (photo above on left is of the production team we served on. Above on right is one of the rooms we oversaw.)

*Hearing from the leaders in our organization preach and teach the Gospel (humility, forgiveness, heart for loving the lost, planting Gospel Seeds). The foundation of our ministry (WINing people to Christ. BUILDing them up in their faith. SENDing them out to the world! (photo on above left, Cru President Steve Sellars addressing our staff. Photo above on right– Ukraine leaders sharing stories how God is at work.)

*The experience of 5,000 Cru staff sitting together in the University of Wisconsin Panther Arena worshiping God - singing songs, praising God, praying collectively. It has been 3 years (2019) since we last gathered for our biennial staff conference. A LOT has taken place since then! (photos above)

*Two seminars offered focused on mental health. (our department-Staff Care pushed for this opportunity to be offered to staff) Mike and I got to personally meet one of the speakers, Adam Young, from a session on mental health. We have learned a lot from listening to his podcast “The Place We Find Ourselves”.

Another story of LABOR is very close to our family. An unexpected text from one of our son’s birth mom that came during the Cru Staff Conference. She asked Leslie to be her “support person” in the operating room for her child’s birth in Ohio. God completely orchestrated the timing and details for this to come to fruition. We praise God for this gift and open relationship we have with her. Pray for this birth mom as we continue to plant Gospel seeds and seek to minister to her. We know not every adopted child can have a relationship with their birth parent.

He lets us share in His exciting purposes of reaching the world for Christ, as well as building up and servicing His people.-Ruth Myers, The Satisfied Heart.

LIVING During a conversation with new Cru staff I (Leslie) coached years ago, they asked us to share a highlight from this past year. Mike was quick to reply with “Our move to Orlando has opened doors for more relationships with those who don’t know
Jesus personally.“