On the week of Valentine’s day, Cru staff and students shared their faith with a simple survey around the topic of love using a picture tool called Soularium.

Kailene (missionary) and Anna (student) met a sophomore named Gabbi, who was very friendly and open to talking about spiritual things. When asked “which picture best describes your view of God?” she chose the image below and explained: “I have been running after God… I have just been waiting for someone to tell me how to know God.” 

What an easy transition to the gospel! They used a booklet to explain how she could have a personal relationship with God and she wanted to pray right then and give her life to Jesus!

Afterward, Anna said, “Why do we even do anything else with our lives?!”

They’ve met with Gabbi several times since then, and ask you to pray with them that Gabbi’s roots would grow deep and that she would plug in with solid Christ-following community.

How many people do we walk by every day who are just waiting for someone to tell them how they can have a personal relationship with God? Everyone is on a spiritual journey and many are ready to hear and respond to the Gospel.

If you have a desire to tell people about the love and hope of Jesus, we would love to teach you some of the simplest ways to get started, or even go out sharing with you or pair you up with missionaries in your area!

   The key to shining the love of Jesus is 1) be filled with His love and 2) be among people who need it. So, how do we reach young people today? Join them in what they love and love them the way only Jesus can!

     About 140 students at University of South Florida joined us for a night of fun and games. They roared and cheered, laughed and high-fived. Cru students and staff made new friends and invited them to continue to build a community that has fun while seeking the Author of all joy.

Who we are reaching

   We were delighted to see both men and women from a variety of ethnicities and religious backgrounds. Half of the room claimed to be Christians, though only about a dozen were already connected to our movement.

   Perhaps most powerful were the stories of individuals, like Jillian, who said this was the first time she was in public since Covid! I also think of Ryan, who chose this event as his first attempt at connecting socially at college, having been hidden in his dorm room for a semester. 

   Ryan stayed for hours. He sat at tables with other students and experienced rich community for the first time in his college journey! But it wasn’t just any community—it was community with the power to point people to faith in Jesus through their interest in gaming. Pray that we would reach hidden students everywhere!

   “While I was studying chemistry, I started to see that God is real.” This is what sophomore Joaquin (3rd from the left) said during his first time at his campus’ weekly prayer meeting!

Joaquin grew up in a nominally Catholic home, but his family didn’t really go to church or talk about faith. It wasn’t until college, through his science classes, that he saw how creation points to a Creator, and he began to wonder what God might be like. However, at that point, these were just unanswered questions in his mind. 

This fall, some of our Cru staff ran into Joaquin during their weekly evangelism hour. They shared with him about who this Creator God is and how we can know Him through Christ. Joaquin decided then and there that he wanted to begin a new relationship with Jesus!! Since then, Joaquin has been participating in small group on Tuesday nights. He meets regularly with our staff to grow in his new faith. 

Joaquin shared his faith for the first time, helping to pass on that same good new to others! Praise God for his work in Joaquin’s life, and this example of how God takes lost students and turns them in into multiplying disciples! Pray for more students to come to know God and be sent out into the harvest fields!

     Our kids got to join us on campus as we experimented with how to start spiritual conversations with gaming students at one of the largest campuses in the nation. We brought tripods with Nintendo Switches, to play simple games and do picture surveys. Students approached us even as we were setting up, and as they noticed some of our game logos, they couldn’t wait to show us their own.

     Several students stuck around for over an hour, telling us deep things about their lives and engaging in conversations about Jesus Christ. One pair of students were internationals from an Arabic country and religion, but were fascinated by the spiritual discussion.  Others shared their “still searching” spiritual journeys that involved mental health, special needs, church hurt, and skepticism about the Bible.

   We were so grateful for their desire to engage, and are praying for the continued impact Cru students can have there!

   For the sake of the ongoing and long-term wellbeing of ministers of the gospel, most missions organizations provide for regular Sabbaticals to create space for the soul to be refreshed, for the body to recover, and for the mind to gain new perspectives.

     In His eternal wisdom, God has provided for us regular periods of rest. It began with creation (“on the seventh day, God rested from his work.”) It continues throughout Scripture (Exodus 16:29; Psalm 46:10; Hebrews 4; Leviticus 25; James 4:8)

     Karen and I will be entering a season of Sabbatical over February and March. Our goal: To draw near to Jesus in fresh, unhindered ways so we can experience fresh power and fruitfulness in the next season of ministry.

     This is a HUGE step of faith for us at this time, as we place the exciting ministry momentum into the capable hands of our Lord and our team, trusting that the world will continue to spin without our help.

     It requires faith to believe God works even when we don’t. We’ve learned that (in Scripture and in life) Sabbath is not a day off, but a day with. It’s a time to be with the Lord and with special people who restore our passion for living and loving well.

     As the Lord prompts you, would you pray for us during this season? Pray those verses above for us, and any other verses He brings to mind. Ask that Jesus would give us the discipline to wean ourselves from any distractions that can clutter our souls. Pray that our Father the Vinedresser would prune us so that we could bear much more fruit. Ask that we would return like Moses, whose face shone after he had been with God.

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on where you are and where you’d like to be in the coming year.

We have a simple challenge you can do right now:

• Post one of the statements below to your social media:
  • One thing I regret about this past year is _______.
  • One thing I want to be true of next year is _______.
• Then, ask your friends what they regret or hope for.

As your friends comment, look for opportunities to start deeper conversations with them.

Here are some topics that may come up in response to your social media post and some verses to help you respond. Read more on how to use these social media conversation starters.

Common Areas of Regret

Relationships With People

• Lost relationships: Death, break-ups and grudges.
• Lost opportunities: Didn’t find a good relationship, didn’t repair one or didn’t pursue someone.
• Unhealthy relationships: Surrounded myself with the wrong people, worried what people thought of me or had an unhealthy dating/marriage relationship.

Some helpful verses…

• Proverbs 13:20 — “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
• John 15:13 — “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
• Hebrews 10:24-25 — “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
• Ephesians 4:2-3 — “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

---

Family

• Lost relationships: Divorce/separation, death, damaged relationships or falling out of touch.
• Hurt relationships: “I’m disappointed with…” or “I disappointed…” a family member, wrongdoing in a relationship.
• Lost time: Missed events, didn’t spend enough time with family or couldn’t start a family.

Some helpful verses…

• Exodus 20:12 — “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 — “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
• Proverbs 18:24 — “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
• Psalm 103:17 — “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children.”
• Proverbs 31:10-11 — “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”

---

Finances

• Bad financial situation: Spent too much, didn’t save enough, got into debt or didn’t manage finances well.
• Wasn’t generous: Didn’t give/share or didn’t tithe.

Some helpful verses…

• Ecclesiastes 5:10 — “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:12 — “Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.”
• Proverbs 13:11 — “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”
• Proverbs 17:16 — “Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?”
• Exodus 22:25 — “If you lend money to one of My people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.”

---

Job/Work

• Job instability: Lost a job or laid off, couldn’t find a job, or a business failed.
• Bad work situation: Lack of appreciation, mistrust or “I hate what I do.”
• Work/life balance: Work too much, “I wasn’t a good witness,” “I wasn’t thankful,” or “I had a bad attitude.”

Some helpful verses…

• Proverbs 14:23 — “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
• Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
• Proverbs 13:4 — “A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 — “We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.”
• Philippians 2:14-15 — “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”

---

Relationship With God

• Lack of relationship: Didn’t consider spiritual things or “I lost my faith.”
• Lack of priority: Didn’t go to church enough, didn’t pursue God enough, didn’t read the Bible/pray enough, didn’t tithe, didn’t engage in community or didn’t thank Him enough.
• Missed opportunities: Didn’t share the gospel, didn’t follow God’s calling or didn’t seek forgiveness for sin.

Some helpful verses…

• Jeremiah 29:11 — “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
• John 6:40 — “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
• 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
• Hebrews 11:6 — “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
• John 14:6 — “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
• Acts 3:19 — “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
• Ephesians 6:14-18 — “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

---

Personal Life

• Missed opportunities: Want to travel more, take more risks or do more for others.
• Personal development: Lack of self-confidence, need to overcome fears, need for self-improvement or “I didn’t see my own value.”
• Lack of balance: Want to spend more time on myself, have more fun, not take life so seriously or connect more.

Some helpful verses…

• Romans 15:13 — “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
• Romans 14:17 — “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 — “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
• Ecclesiastes 9:7 — “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.”

---

Health

• Poor health: Bad health news, time lost to health issues, fear/worry about health or chronic sickness/pain.
• Lack of self-care: Didn’t eat well, didn’t work out, smoked or drank too much, or didn’t go to the doctor

Some helpful verses…

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 — “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
• 3 John 1:2 — “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
• 1 Timothy 4:8 — “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
• Proverbs 17:22 — “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
• Proverbs 20:1 — “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”
• Jeremiah 33:6 — “Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”

_{[first posted on Cru.org]}

Everyone is on a spiritual journey.

Acknowledging this journey can create chances for spiritual conversations that are natural and conversational. By asking life questions on social media and genuinely listening you can come alongside another person on their journey and explore where they’ve been, where they are now and where they’re headed.

Before posting to social media, think about your goals, who you’ll be reaching, and pause to ask God for wisdom in how to best communicate. Social media can be a platform where people react quickly and may respond with heightened emotions. Start by praying that the words in James 1:19-20 would be true of you, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” (NLT).

What You’re Seeking to Accomplish

When you create a post and start spiritual conversations online, seek to do the following:

• Initiate a conversation.
• Ask (open-ended) questions.
• Genuinely listen.
• Explore another person’s life story.
• Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

How to Start the Conversation

Once you decide on your goals, here are steps to start the conversation:

1. Choose a question or statement that relates to your friends and followers.
2. Post the question or statement as a status or graphic to your social media platform(s). Answer the question/statement yourself in the status, and ask others what their answer is.
3. Pray for God to open doors for significant conversations (Colossians 4:2-6).
4. Look for and respond to the comments (or direct messages) on your post as a way to start a conversation. Pursue dialogue, not just a “quick way to get to the gospel.”

Responding to comments or messages shows you’re listening and you care. Look for opportunities to move the conversation offline and in-person when possible.

Questions to Help Develop Conversations

After beginning the conversation, think through follow-up questions that help you better understand those who respond. Some examples include:

• “I was really intrigued when you said _______. Would you tell me more about that?”
• “You said that you desired ________ in life (For example: peace and to get away from the stress). I can relate to that. Can I share a little about how my relationship with God has affected this in my life?”
• “You said that you wish that _______ were true of your spiritual life. How have you tried to pursue that? Can I share with you my story?” Or “Can I share how I began a relationship with God?”

The graphics and questions below are a seasonal example and resource to help you create authentic dialogue with your social media friends about their spiritual journeys. Each graphic contains a broad life question or statement that gets people thinking about who they are and where they are. By posting the graphic and answering it yourself, you can start a natural spiritual conversation with those who respond.

Spiritual Conversation Graphics on Love

   God can use us even in the most unexpected places, especially if we have a heart that is willing to be interrupted. That is the message we learned from Andrew, a military cadet who loves video games and is part of the Cru “Valor” movement on his campus.

  In a recent interview, Andrew shared how he and his friends were playing a game online when a random new teammate was added to their group. Over the course of the game, they were goofing around, but something prompted Andrew to ask this new guy (who went by the name “CstmrSrvc”) how he was doing. His response was shocking, “I’m pretty sad. This Easter weekend, I am going to see my family one more time before I take my life.”

  Andrew dropped everything, silently cried out to God for help, and engaged this young man with the love and hope of Jesus. Over sobbing tears, CstmrSrvc seemed to respond to Andrew before they were cut off by the game ending. Andrew and his buddies all prayed together and sent friend requests to CstmrSrvc. 2 weeks later (after Easter), he responded! Praise God for this rescue, and please pray for these guys to keep connecting!

     Imagine starting college as a Christian, knowing there are probably other believers out there, but not knowing how to find them. Sela (from Kansas, on the right) and Valentina (from Guatemala, in the middle) both came to Nova Southeastern University walking with Jesus. Sela, strong in her faith, wanted to be known for her beliefs at college, but Valentina was more afraid of losing her way, not having had that Christian model at home.

  Both students received a message through Instagram from our Cru Coaching Center team, distance coaches who can help launch a gospel community on any campus. They said “yes” to helping us get something started there, and that’s how Cru at Nova came into being! Because of Sela, Valentina, and their Cru staff distance coach, Cru was there to greet the next batch of freshmen, and finding other Christians at Nova got a lot easier.

  With over 4k US campuses and less than 2k Cru missionaries, the Coaching Center has been a necessary innovation, equipping students and volunteers who are passionate about bringing the gospel to their campus. Please pray for these brave student and volunteer leaders, and tell us if you know someone who wants to be used by God on their campus!