Welcome, 2009!

Happy New Year!


I hope the holidays were warm and restful for all of you. I heard rumors of snowy days for my friends in Ohio. May I just lovingly share that I've been enjoying a mild winter, with many 60something-degree-and-sunny days. Thanks for your prayers :)


We got off to a running start this January. From the 1st -5th, we took groups of students to the Dallas Winter Conference (DWC)--a conference for CRU, the college ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ Ministries. At the DWC our high school students assisted in providing childcare for children of CRU staff and conference speakers. The opportunity enabled our students to earn scholarship money toward the cost for our upcoming conference, FastBreak. Attending the DWC also gave our high school students a vision for college ministry as they participated in worship sessions, outreach/evangelism, and sharing their testimonies with college students who were interested in working with Student Venture. For my part, I enjoyed visiting with Student Venture alums from the past couple of years who are now involved in ministry at their respective colleges.


FastBreak

FastBreak is just around the corner, and I would like to ask for your prayers as we finalize the details. We currently have around 50 students signed up to attend from our Carrollton high schools. They will be joined by other students from the Dallas area, as well as other Texas cities. I've been observing the students' excitement as the conference approaches, and it's contagious :)

Here are a few prayer points:

That all the students registered to attend the conference will be able to attend, and there would be no hinderance.

That even at this "last minute," we would have more students sign up for this life-changing experience.

Pray for protection on the roads for everyone traveling to the conference venue. Also pray for protection during games and all other activities during the conference.

Pray for all our speakers and seminar leaders, that they would speak boldly, as directed by the Holy Spirit, and that they would be renewed daily throughout the conference.

Pray for open hearts and fertile soil; that as Christ is proclaimed, hearts would receive the words with joy and the planted seeds would take root and bear fruit 30, 60, and 100 fold.

Pray that anyone at the conference who does not know Christ will come to a saving knowledge of Him and will commit to a life-long journey of discipleship in Christ.

Nice weather :)

Pray for the discussion groups--that the leaders (mostly high school and college students) would lead with discernment and genuine love for students in their group. Also pray that the group would be open and loving toward one another, forging a fellowship that will continue when they return to their schools after the conference.

Thanks for joining us with your prayers this weekend. I look forward to sharing testimonies of the Lord's goodness when we return from the conference next week!