After spending so much time designing the Let’s Go Summer Project booklet, I was excited for some feedback. Maggie at the University of Toledo told me her story of using the booklet:

“I am such a fan of the booklet. Back in September, I met a girl named Destinee at a party after cru for all freshmen. I was shocked when Destinee started asking me about summer projects but was encouraged to learn that she’d heard about summer projects because so many other students were sharing their positive project experiences with her.

“When we passed out the booklets at our fall retreat, I knew immediately that that’s what I needed to walk someone through a challenge to consider going on project.

“A couple of months ago, I met up with Destinee to get to know her a little more and learn about her relationship with God. I asked her what she thought is her next step in growing in her relationship with God and her response was, “talking with others about Him,” which was the perfect opportunity to share with her about how summer project is such a great environment to learn how to share her faith and develop a personal ministry.

“We walked through pages 9-10, read the Luke passage together and talked about the questions. I think she was especially challenged by the question, “How will others’ lives be different if I go?” because she started to catch a vision for God using her.

“She acknowledged that people she would meet on project and share her faith with could have their lives changed, but then she started to think about her family and other people who could have their lives changed by her influence when she comes back equipped and confident to share her faith.

“Seriously, your team’s work on the booklet and website are amazing. Everything is so compelling and I think it does a great job of helping students catch on to how they as an individual, uniquely created by God, can participate in God’s larger mission of reaching the entire world. Plus, the OCD in me LOVES the organization and symbols.  “

Another opportunity are Cru Summer Projects. We like to say that Summer Projects are bread and butter for the ministry.
    Over the span of a couple months, students who attend have the opportunity to tell others how Christ personally changed their lives and how they too can experience God’s love and forgiveness. They will live in a loving community of fellow believers. They will grow leaps and bounds as a follower of Jesus Christ. Now that is something to get excited about!!!

In light of all these things, Kristin and I look forward to summer with both great anticipation and excitement. This summer, more than 800 students from campuses throughout the Midwest will be traveling with Cru going to the world with the message of the gospel in hand. Even more will be joining them from around the country.

These students are such a sign of God’s blessing and provision in our lives as well. As you know, a big part of Kristin’s work this year has been creating promotional pieces for Summer Projects nationwide.

And now we are seeing the results as students to go to the world, the cities, even your hometown to share the gospel!

As you prepare for the Memorial Day weekend festivities, please take a moment and pray for them. Pray for them to boldly share the message of the gospel. They carry with them the most powerful story—their own.

Many of you have walked with Kristin and I on our journey with cancer. It is hard to believe it has been four and a half years since my initial surgery to remove a tumor in my right leg. Due to the nature of the surgery and tumor removal, I have nerve damage in my right leg which reduces my range of motion and balance.

Over the past four plus years, I have taken a few spills, fracturing my foot once, and at this time last year I fractured my ankle. These incidents have actually been more physically and emotionally taxing on us than my cancer.

Today, I tripped in the living room and as I was protecting my bum leg, I fractured my left foot on my good leg. 

I would be lying if I said I was fine. I am disappointed. I am discouraged. I feel dumb. And I feel (once again) like a burden to those around me. As I add up the time over the past four-plus years, I have spent almost an entire calendar year laid-up due to cancer and broken bones. By laid up, I mean not being able to drive, not being able to do the simple things like yard work, or shoveling snow.  I again feel helpless.

In light of this helplessness, it is once again is driving me to my knees (metaphorically of course). I want to scream, “Why God?”  Then with the encouraging words of scripture I am reminded of what Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter six.

 ⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  ¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’ Really? Really? I won’t be walking normally for over six weeks! Why should I remain content? I am in pain!  However, I do remain encouraged. I have a great family, great friends and most importantly a great God who meets all of our needs. I am again reminded of these simple truths. I just wish I did not have to break something once a year to be reminded of them. I also wish it was Groundhog Day so I could have a do-over.

How do you experience contentment in your struggles and disappointment?

Continue the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Since the Colts didn’t do too well this season, let’s talk about Eli Manning instead. Did you see when Eli threw that pass to Mario Manningham? As a quarterback it’s about knowing and throwing to where the receiver will be.

Ministry, at times, is like a quarterback throwing a pass to a receiver. As leaders, our job isn’t focused on figuring out where students are now. We need to anticipate where students are going to be and take the gospel to them!

Kristin and I desire to be living and working in this realm. We want the results of our ministry to be students hearing and receiving the gospel! For us, this happens as we provide opportunities for involved students to be equipped: whether it’s at a conference like IndyCC, on spring break or during summer project.

This concept may be something for you to consider as you live a life of ministry in your church or workplace. The key is to take the initiative and engage in relationships to share the gospel. We will see lives changed as a result.

Going Deeper: Some key thoughts and questions for you to consider:

• It’s time to go where non-believers are and take Christ to them. Who are non-believers in your life? How can you bring up spiritual topics?
• Sharing is not a one-way conversation but an ongoing dialog over multiple conversations. Who are you having ongoing gospel conversations with? Sign up for an email series with ideas for sharing.
• Our own faith story is not just a decision we made in the past. The gospel story is continuing to impact us and transform our lives daily. What does it look like to share Jesus’ impact in your life today?
• The gospel is much more than the eternal benefit at the end of life. There is a personal benefit today. Where would you be without Jesus?

• than my pride and fears. I lay my life down to God, that He may use me as a light in this dark world.
• than my sin and any feelings of being incapable of either being in the workforce or called to minister in any way
• than my parents resistance to Christianity. I will shine the Light He gives me. You must become more and I must become less.
• than my desires and my sin, my inability to trust. You have control.
• than my security and comfort of things familiar to me.
• than spreading the Gospel to all of Cleveland.
• than my struggles against my past abuse and against homosexuality!!
• than the relationship between my boyfriend and I.
• than all my fears and insecurities.
• then my depression and anxiety that has lead me to the hospital and back
• than the lost in Slovenia. He promised he will reach the lost there & I know he will!
• than my future, my failures or my fears. It’s time to live my life for God and break the connection to things that keep me from that.
• than my job security. Risking relevance in my career for a year of service to the Lord.
• than my future plans of interning, marriage and wherever the Lord will take me.
• than my financial worries concerning a summer project
• than my relationship with my girlfriend, my future plans of ministry, and controlling my life
• than all that money I have longed for in my future.
• than what i think is right for my life, my ‘control’. I will trust God to guide me on a path that’s good, prosperous to the kingdom and His.

Now imagine being with 2400 others finishing that sentence—it’s incredible! And everyone says something different. Can you hear the resolve in their voices as they declare it?

• God is greater than my future.
• God is greater than my circumstances.
• God is greater than my past.
• God is greater than my sin.
• God is greater than my present.
• God is greater than the harm done to me, than my fears, my failures, …

God has used our annual winter conference, IndyCC, as a trail marker of believing God for greater things every year.

Each of the four days of this conference saw resolute commitments of yielding to Christ—mending a broken friendship, reading the Bible, breaking up with a boyfriend, choosing purity, deferring to parents, applying for a summer missions project, or committing to give a year to missions (below).

You would have loved seeing them learn to share their faith for the first time (below) and then doing it out in the community! Or trusting God to overcome a barrier in their lives. Then seeking and trusting him with their future plans. And literally “text in” with how they believe God is greater.

You and I, together, have the privilege of seeing God at work in these lives as well as ours. You share in these eternal rewards—this is lasting fruit.

Thank you for journeying with Kristin and I as we help show our students a clearer picture of who God is and what His Kingdom is all about.

We are thankful for each one of you and the role you play in our ministry. Blessings to you and your family this Christmas!
Kristin & John

In my own life, I have found that it is challenging to engage with God and offer thanks for his provision and blessings. This is often due to my own self-sufficiency as I go through my daily routine. When I take the time to engage with God, I am led down the path of recognizing my own depravity and realizing my own shortcomings. Out of this grows recognition of my need for dependence on Him. It is in these moments where my heart can engage and offer thanks for all that God has provided for me, as well as offer praise to God for who He is.

As the Psalmist writes, we are commanded to enter his gates with thanksgiving and praise.

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he, who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”  —Psalm 100

Let us give thanks together and offer praise to our God as our provider.
What are you thankful for today?

Creating the “Let’s Go” 2012 Summer Project Booklet was a huge undertaking. The creative process can be a daunting one. We spent months thinking and talking about the design before we had anything very concrete to show. (Click on each image to view larger.)

Mood Boards:

We started with looking at other designs—looking for the styles, feelings and moods we wanted to convey.

Sketches:

From the mood boards, we came up with sketches to portray the concepts of the booklet. We also created an outline of the text.

Page Mock-ups:

Once the sketches were approved, we began to come up with color schemes and page mock-ups. Even at this stage, you can begin to see hints or more than hints of the final document. If you have a copy of the booklet, compare these to what you see!

From these mock-ups and feedback, we deepened the color scheme, chose the typefaces, combined ideas from all three styles which resulted in the final design. These designs also fully influenced the website: gosummerproject.com

It was a great privilege to work with Lauren, Ann and Andrew. 100s of hours were well spent and I am excited for God to keep the project going as students read and spend time with it. We’ll share the stories with you too!

Thanks for making this possible and for helping to send students around the world to share the gospel.

The most important thing to know is that we are not changing our mission or vision. We are still all about Jesus Christ and proclaiming him to others so that they can experience his love and grace.

Here are some links to find out more:

• FAQ from CCCi.
• Video of Vice President Steve Sellers on Fox & Friends, from July 23, 2011.
• We love this video of Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade with her husband Bill, and her thoughts about the name change.
• Excellent perspective from Phil Cooke, known for thoughts on media and the church.
• Photos Kristin took at the announcement in Colorado.

You can also email us with your questions: John.Madeja (at) uscm.org or Kristin.Madeja (at) uscm.org.