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!

Welcome Week Halfway There!

In just about an hour we should be beginning to serve about 400-500 college students some burgers and hotdogs.  Kickoff club fair & freshman welcome nite - done!  Cookout, ultimate frisbee, Bible study Leader training to go!

For His glory!
Pete and Carra

Because getting stuff from storage is just that fun...

Just decided to take all the kids with us to get out the sound system, t-shirts, pens, clipboards, tablecloths, Bibles, etc., etc., etc. Looks like they are finding things to occupy their time!

Top 4 reasons my living room is a mess

Pete and I are sitting across from each other at the dining room table each with a computer in front of us. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, click, click, click, click and whatever the sound the phone makes when one of us texts.

With five straight days of events happening beginning Sunday, our living room is systematically become impassible.

1. Evangelism training Sunday night - every Bible study leader will be trained or refreshed on sharing the Gospel as well as getting to those (sometimes awkward) spiritual conversations.  I need to go to Costco to buy water bottles, peanut butter cups and potato chips.  You gotta have snacks for training :)  I guess I'll keep it in the living room for now.

2. Fall Kick-off at UNCG on Monday midday.  We have a moderately sized Plinko game (yes, vint,age Price is Right) that we built and was a huge hit last year. In addition to some sports bags and lanyards with our uncgcru.com website on them, we are giving away over 1000 cookies!  These are being baked (probably even as you are reading this) by folks from our church Lawndale Baptist.  These delicious cookies will be coming to our house on Sunday to be distributed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  So besides the boxes of lanyards and sports bags, the snacks for training, add 1000 cookies....in our living room

3. Freshman Welcome Night on Tuesday.  We're going to woo freshmen in with free t-shirts (an overstock from last year LOL!) and iTunes gift cards.  While they are basking in their free stuff, we'll be getting them excited about weekly meetings, Bible studies, Fall Retreat, etc.  So next to the thousand cookies, the lanyards, sports bags and the snacks for training, add several boxes of t-shirts! ...all (temporarily, gratefully) in my living room!

4. Wednesday our friend Nat is cooking out for a few hundred students out on College Ave (the main drag of UNCG).  He is bringing the grill, the buns and meat. He has the most of it covered, but we are responsible for a few things...cups for several hundred young people, plates, napkins, chips and coolers for ice....sure, just set it in my living room.

So there you have it, the top four reasons my living room is a mess.  It's an exciting time.  I'll clean up later in the semester :)  Prayer for great conversations, the Truth would be proclaimed and God would be glorified appreciated.

Love, Carra