Newsletters

February 2005

Life Options

For any upperclassman what they are going to do after college is one of the most significant decisions they face. On today’s campuses they are bombarded with job offers from companies, thoughts from professors and friends about striving for success, and philosophies on what will bring them fulfillment and satisfaction in life.  Missing from most of these future options is God’s desire for their life.

Life Options is an annual conference for our four state region that allows students to consider what they will do with the rest of their life. From scripture we know that God is calling students to be his ambassadors in a lifetime of ministry—whether that be in the marketplace, in a local church, or on staff with Campus Crusade.  We want each student involved in our ministry to leave us committed to being a laborer for Christ for a lifetime, no matter what their vocation. Our greatest desire is that they live God-centered lives in light of eternity

I had the privilege to direct this conference this year along with a staff gal from Bowling Green. We determined the goal and vision of the conference, lined up speakers and presenters, did massive amounts of email related to the conference, and ran the meetings during the weekend. It was a privilege to be able to shape the direction of this critical conference.

Students heard from Greg Lillestrand, who is changing positions after being in charge of all overseas partnerships with campuses around the country. He brought great perspective from a man who has seen God at work all over the country, a man who seeks to follow Christ in everything he does, and a man who is coming off a major decision to step into a slightly less prestigious role, not because he has to but because he wants to follow God’s call on his life.

In addition to the main meetings, students also interacted over how God has designed them, learned about how God calls people throughout their lives and attended seminars that covered many potential options for their future.

We took over 50 students from U-M alone and we are hopeful that God used this weekend to help them take their next steps not based on what the world says is important but what God says is important in life. While the conference was primarily about walking with Christ for a lifetime we also wanted to present the many opportunities for students to serve with Campus Crusade. While most students will pursue other vocations we want many of them to join with us as we seek to reach each and every college student of the world.

A promotion from the conference website spoofing a very familiar source of information. Google may be the preferred avenue for answers to many questions for our students, but we urged them during this conference to seek answers in scripture and through the wise counsel of mature believers.

Students in a workshop think through how God has uniquely made them and worked in their lives as part of the picture that will help them determine the next step in their life after college.

Kids' Column

I am 5!  I am having a Thomas the Tank Engine party Saturday. I don’t know if being 5 is all it’s cracked up to be, though. There are supposedly a lot of things that I am going to be learning this year. I am already working on the computer—soon I will be able to help Mommy when she has problems with it.

I have been having fun with Lindsey. I like to walk around with her while I’m holding her hand. I don’t know why she likes to fall down when we do that. We had fun making valentines for our family this month. Mommy was amazed at how long we kept busy with paper, scissors, markers, stamps and stickers. It was fun to learn how to trace and cut.

The doctor says that I have jumped way up on the growth scale. Must be because I love to eat so much! I am quickly outgrowing my clothes and that makes my Mommy said to see her baby getting big. I like to run from Mommy when she tries to get something away from me—it’s a game I think she likes, too. Usually I walk around with a toy in each hand and one in my mouth.

Our Summer Plans

We will be traveling to Fort Collins, Colorado again this summer. As I’ve done the past couple summers, I will be teaching Bible Study Methods during New Staff Training. After that I will again help lead a mini-project called “The Edge” where undergraduate students join us in Colorado and take theological classes with some of the seminary professors who are in Fort Collins to teach classes with older staff as a part of their continuing education. After these two things will be the bi-annual U.S. Staff Conference with over 5000 staff from around the country. We will leave around June 15 and return around August 1.

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