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Pray for Luke on Sabbatical
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Dear ministry partners,
 
          We know this is a difficult time, and we care about you. We would love to hear how COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders has affected you and how we can continue to pray for you during this time.   

          I have really appreciated many of you who have sent me specific requests to pray for recently.  It draws us close to God and each other, besides having the amazing benefit of telling of the great works of the Lord when we have been asking Him to work in power.  So, please keep sharing your prayer requests and let's pray for each other!

         We found out today that our neighbor who works in healthcare has tested positive for COVID-19. We are so grateful for his faithfully serving others in need during this pandemic.  Please pray for him and his family now.  They are believers in Christ, so we praise God for that.   Pray also for the testimony of God's work in them to impact others to want to trust Jesus.  May they be able to repeat Paul's words soon:  Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. (Philippians 1:12)

          Please pray for me as I will be taking a 30-day sabbatical starting next week.  Cru staff are given an opportunity for a month-long sabbatical every 4 years after their first 8 years on staff.  We are encouraged to temporarily get our minds off the busyness of ministry and trust that God will produce the fruit of our ministry.   It is also a time to seek renewal in God and things He has given us a passion to pursue.  I have been planning for this time and preparing for it with my team for many months.  This week was a bit of  frenzy getting last minutes things tied up or delegated and passed on to my teammates who can carry the processes, coach and serve our ministry events' leaders during my absence.   And, though I don't know what each day will bring, I know I need to leave extra space in my schedule to meet with God and for him to guide me.

         One thing both Kristina and I have planned are a 3-day prayer retreat each.  We will be getting away by ourselves to be with the Lord.  Please pray for God to grow our love for Him during this time.  I plan to take some more time with homeless and outcast people in our community as well as work on a few house and yard projects.   Kristina and I are considering and praying about the possibility of homeschooling Eliana.  She has been thriving with doing school from home, and we are seeking if God night have us give a greater investment with teaching and discipleship with her through homeschooling in the future.  Please pray that we'd came away form this time refreshed and with renewed energy for our marriage, parenting, work with Cru and our love for our neighbors and church. 

         And lastly, we know we need to leave margin so that we can be available to meet with Jesus and be directed to others whom we can share Jesus with.   We long to see God using this unique time in history to draw many believers to repentance and many non-believers to come to Jesus, in whom they will find life!

                    ....I'm looking forward to some more quality time with my girls!
 
Cru continues effective ministry
 

Our innovative staff have used so many ways to connect with students while sheltering in place:

  • At George Washington University, Cru's Bridges Ministry connected with 17 new international students through a digital outreach day. God allowed them to talk with students they had never met before in the span of just an hour and a half!

  • Many Cru movements have hosted weekly meetings via Zoom. To continue to develop community, they have used the breakout room feature for small group discussion. And to continue a sense of fun, they've used virtual games like Kahoots. 

  • Tammy, Cru staff and chaplain at Harvard, has had the unique opportunity to help students move toward Jesus as they process the pain of sports seasons cut short, canceled graduation ceremonies and abrupt good-byes.

 

Cru has also launched national initiatives to help the body of Christ during this crisis:

  • The campus ministry has a new digital ministry toolkit, which includes resources for continuing in evangelism and discipleship while social distancing.  Check it out!

  • On April 9, Cru hosted a live, virtual event, Be Still, which included worship with Rend Collective and speakers Mark Gauthier, Louie Giglio, Ney Bailey and Crawford Loritts. The event kicked off a 40 day, 24/7 prayer chain. You can watch the live recording and sign up to pray here.

Prayer Requests
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Copyright © 2020 Luke and Kristina Schmoll, All rights reserved.


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