Encounter Conference

What a great and super busy encounter conference. We've been challenged by wonderful speakers and had opportunities to share our hearts with the students. Tomorrow about 1000 high school and college students will literally pray in the new year. Here's a photo from a beautiful worship time on the opening night. Thank you for your prayers!

30 hours ago...

Thirty hours ago I met (in person) our new staff woman. She scheduled a quick trip to Greensboro to meet with a family that offered her housing one she moves here. Elise will be full-time in the Triad in just a few months when she completes her financial support team.

Last night we hosted about 30 people from UNCG and NC A&T leadership teams for a Christmas dinner. Elise was able to join us & meet students that we work with, train, coach and mentor. Today she came for part of our planning meeting, then met up with a student for a campus tour at UNCG. I took her to our favorite bakery/coffee shop called Delicious.

I'm so excited to see her passion. She is well trained, experienced and eager to share the Gospel.

Pete and I are so blessed! We're love our staff team & are privileged to have them co-laborers in the mission, but also as friends. Thanks for praying for laborers and a strong team for this critical work!

Love, Carra

Just a random reflection about being on staff with Cru...
We have so many friends who partner with us financially - laboring together in spirit and prayer to see the Gospel proclaimed and lived out.  And we partner with staff as workers in the harvest. And we partner with students in their own walks of faith steps. There is nothing in this work apart from Christ-centered partnership. That just struck me how connected this work is at every level. Not the most eloquent way to express it, but "that's pretty cool."

Surrender - MidSouth Staff Conference

Wow, what a challenging weekend!  We just came back from Black Mountain, NC where over 280 staff and interns gathered who all work in our region (NC, SC, TN, KY and part of WV).  The theme was "Surrender" and we were all challenged to go deeper in our willingness to be used by God.  One highlight was getting to meet and interact with an older staff couple - the McLeans.  It was humbling to sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness" standing next to a couple that literally opened up Cru's international missions in East Asia.

They shared their journey and some of the privileges they have enjoyed in surrendering what they "wanted to do for God." What God lead them to ended up being so much bigger than they ever imagined.  -- very inspiring!

Love, Carra

Carra is halfway there and most-way better

Since my hemorrhoid surgery almost four weeks ago, I have fluctuated between feeling really miserable to optimistically "great."  I told our church couples group that I was 95% better about two days before I felt pretty uncomfortable again.

But finally I really believe I am mostly pain free!  It has been several days since any pain at all - Praise God!

The surgeon instructed me to avoid lifting anything more than 20 pounds for eight weeks.  Baby Micah is 24 pounds so if he is held by his mom, someone has to put him on my lap.  I'll need to continue that for a few more weeks.  I've been really impressed how the kids have stepped up. It has been a surprising side benefit of some maturity muscles growth in the girls especially.

I am so grateful for all the ways our home school community, our church couples group, neighbors and family have prayed for me, brought meals, carted kids to and fro, and just encouraged me.  Thank you!!

ManMaker This Weekend

Prayers are requested for the guys that are out camping in the woods, building fires and shooting guns. Beyond the safety and fun there's potential for a great movement of God in the hearts of these young men.

For His Glory!
Pete & Carra

Apologetics Conference Panel

This weekend Pete was asked to come to Ratio Christi's (RC) symposium to give input on how RC can partner with established campus groups. He was on a panel of three answering questions and giving insights. It was a great session and a great weekend to see how we can work together to bring Christ to the Triad campuses.

Just last month, RC invited Cru at UNC Greensboro to help sponsor apologist Frank Turek.

It was a two night event and three was standing room only both nights.

We're looking forward to other ways we can utilize the strengths of both ministries to make an impact on campus!

Thank you for your prayers

Love for students

This is a snapshot I captured while at the beach the other week. We traveled the 11 hours in the minivan to get our kids sunburned and reach college students with the hope of Jesus.

Here are Faith and Zade soaking up brownies, ice cream and the company of Valerie (a Bible study leader at UNCG).

A few hours ago I was at church. Mary (a semi-recent graduate and former student I mentored) spoke to our class about the compelling need for believers to get involved in protecting human life.

When I walked downstairs I saw a photo on the wall of the baby nursery (my turn to bounce babies during worship). The photo was Jonathan and Tessa. I enjoyed caring for her during her time at UNCG. Pete discipled Jonathan for several years. There was the photo..they're holding their baby boy. Jonathan is almost through seminary.

Ten years on staff. Still a huge love for students. So proud of those who have come through the ministry. So privileged to have a little piece in the story of their lives.

In Christ,
Carra

-Sent from my Kyocera Rise

Almost 2:00 a.m.

Sirens are blaring from a distance. The familiar reflections of blue
lights are peeking through the edges of the room darkeners. As I was
about to lay down, I heard a police loudspeaker saying, "Get out of
the road!"

There is a lot to make one a little melancholy. And although we are
surrounded by drunkenness, one-night-stands and offensive, degrading
language, there is hope...

With all the craziness happening outside (even at this late hour) - -
- God is present. I was training a friend and Gracie the Knowing God
Personally booklet that Cru uses to explain the Gospel. One of the
verses it uses is "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"

Our Triad students have taken so many faith steps - I've see steps of
initiating conversations, sharing the Gospel. It is in a spiritual
way, we're saying 'get out the of the road!

Hundreds of students have placed their faith and grown in confidence
of their ability to articulate the Bible. We are so blessed!

Sent from my Kyocera Rise

Spring Break Road Trip

It's hard to believe we were digging out snow that poured into the
back of our van yesterday. The van smelled not so great after having
it serviced and so we left the vents open.

And here we are driving in the warm sun with 19 students from UNC
Greensboro, Winston-Salem State and one extra from Eastern Carolina.

Seven miles of beach and thousands of college students searching for
meaning, purpose and self gratification through alcohol and one-night
stands. And we are going (along with 1200 other Cru students) to
engage them in conversations about the True way to purpose and True
fulfillment!

Prayers appreciated - for safety, unity and lives to be changed.
Sent from my Kyocera Rise

Getting ready for Valentine's Day!

In addition to putting together some candy treats for our homeschool coop, we're preparing to give away 1000 roses to UNC Greensboro students!

Last year, it was regarded as one of the best outreaches of the entire year!  If you wanna come over February 13 with some leather work gloves and scrape off thorns and add a special note from Cru -- come on over!