Hear what God is doing in Adrienne’s life, and how He is working through her:

Hear Nestor tell how God worked in his life while he wrestled at Boston University:

Nestor shared his story at our 2012 Vision Dinner.

480 seats for over 500 people.

Last week, a huge gathering of followers of Jesus happened in downtown Boston. Our annual Vision Dinner was our largest yet and one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the US.

My name is Victoria Vallely. I’m a senior at the University of New Hampshire and I have a very special story about a very special girl. I met Hayley in acting class last spring. I was a junior; she was a freshman.  A gorgeous girl, with bright blue cat-like eyes, blonde short hair, spiked leather boots, and a phenomenal speaking voice. She had this smile that lit up her entire face and I couldn’t help but reflect it back at her. I watched her for about a week or so, observing her drastically changed countenance from day to day. One day she would be animated. The next she would look in fear or bitter. Some days she’d grace the class with those eyes. Others they’d be glued to the floor. And other days, one whole week in particular, she wasn’t there at all. About a week later once Hayley returned to class the Lord told my heart, “Reach out to that girl.” I didn’t hesitate, despite the fact that her inconsistency and edgy attitude intimidated me, maybe because she reminded me of me. The next Monday we went to the dining hall after class and enjoyed breakfast and coffee. After acknowledging her coldness I decided to share my testimony with her. The drugs, the relationships, the crimes, the lying, the pain, the anger, the shame, the guilt, she could relate with it all. She then opened up to me that the reason she wasn’t in class was because she was in the hospital after having tried to kill herself. My heart sank and the Lord said almost tangibly, “Tell her about my Love.” I shared the gospel with her and invited her to Christian Impact, CRU’s weekly meeting at UNH. Without my reminding her she showed for every meeting.

I shared the gospel with Hayley that Monday afternoon and countless times after that. She came to my bible study with good questions, she called at night when she felt tempted or was hurting. Hayley loved hearing about God’s love but couldn’t believe that He could love someone like her. I’d read the bible out loud to her in my dorm room and she would just sit back and listen, letting the peace that surpasses all understanding consume her.“ I wish we could just read the bible forever,” she said. I saw Christ moving in her heart and I prayed with her every night we were together.

Hayley kept walking in her own ways though, doing life the way she always had. That lasted about 6 months and it was this past winter before CRU’s winter conference that she called me in tears and told me she couldn’t do it anymore. The Lord miraculously used me in revealing why she had to go to the conference, and one week later we were in Albany New York together at the Epicenter Experience. It was the second day in when Hayley realized she had intellectually accepted Christ as her savior the past semester, but she hadn’t ever given Him Lordship over her life. She said she was ready. I grabbed a Knowing God Personally book and Emily, a CRU staff member, whom Hayley was also close with. It was sitting down on the Holiday Inn’s red and gold patterned carpet at around 4pm the beginning of this January that Hayley gave her life completely to Christ. She described it as a golden beam reaching down from the heavens connecting her heart to the God of the Universe! Tears of peace and broken bondage came tumbling out. Two days later she was up on the stage before all 500 people at CRU’s conference sharing God’s story in her life. Afterward she came and sat with me. She was crying and smiling that beautiful smile and she looked at me and said, “He loves me!” My smile reflected hers once more, crying myself, as I replied, “Yes, He does!”

At the Epicenter Experience on January 2-6, over 350 students and staff were trained in how to more effectively communicate their faith with friends, family, and professors – using the communities where students most hangout – Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Watch this video recorded by one of our students, Dan from UConn. Dan posted this video on his Facebook account to begin Gospel conversations with his friends.

Cristina Sandoval, second year Cru staff, started a normal September day following up contacts from Splash, Boston University’s freshman activities fair. However, that day would turn out to be one to remember, when Sabrina, a student with whom she was meeting, decided to entrust her life to Jesus.

I asked Cristina to share what happened that September day:

“I was meeting Sabrina on a Thursday afternoon and she was my last appointment of the day. I had two student leaders (both juniors) with me as well who were helping me with follow-up from our Splash (our fall freshman meet and greet) event.

We asked her whether the words in the prayer were something she felt were true of her and if she was wanting and willing to entrust her life to Jesus Christ . . . she said “I’m ready” with an enthusiastic smile! All four of us prayed, welcomed and rejoiced with Sabrina, our new sister in Christ!”

Sabrina continues to be growing in her knowledge of God with the help of a Wednesday night life group and at the Boston Fall Retreat began to practice the spiritual discipline of regular time set aside with God.

Would you take a minute to pray for Sabrina as she continues to learn about our great Savior?

Esme, a freshmen at MIT, connected with our ministry through her roommate, Sherry, who is a follower of Jesus. Learning of her curiosity about Christianity I arranged to meet with her.

Like many college students today, Esme grew up in a home where her exposure to Jesus was almost non-existent. She attended church only on Christmas and Easter, and did not know much about the Bible or the Christian faith. But she was attracted to our Cru community at MIT and now really desires to know more about God.

After we walked through the gospel story, Esme said she wanted to place her trust in Christ but still had some questions. A week later, Esme attended the Cru Fall Retreat and said it was the first time she realized that God works not only in “big, miraculous ways” but also in numerous small and individual ways. It was not long before she and her roommate, Sherry, began hosting a life group in their own dorm room!

When Esme and I met again, we looked at a tool called “Backstory” that walks through the larger themes of the Bible including intimacy, betrayal, pursuit and sacrifice. It was clear as we discussed various Bible passages that Esme now has a deeper understanding of Jesus, the gospel and God’s grace.

When I asked her, “What does the image of the cross mean to you?” she replied, “It used to just be a symbol of Christianity, but now when I see it, it makes me think of the greatest sacrifice ever made –– Jesus died for us though we did nothing to deserve it. It was our sin that He paid for.” She also said, “I know everyone needs Jesus, and that includes me.”

Esme is very close to giving her life to Christ, but she says she is nervous about “what’s on the other side” and what it means to give up control of her life to God. Yet she recognizes that God is pursuing her: “I know God is communicating with me because if I didn’t happen to be roommates with Sherry, I never would have gotten involved in this group.”

Esme is but one of several answers to our prayers for more non-believers and seekers to get connected with our community and draw near to Jesus. Several freshmen like Sherry have invited roommates and friends to participate in our events and life groups, and it is thrilling to seem them starting to understand the gospel and embrace Jesus!

Would you pray that Esme would continue to seek after Christ and embrace Him as her Lord and Savior?

*This entry was written by Kim Swanson, Cru staff, who has walked with Esme on her spiritual journey and continues to meet with Esme on a regular basis.

Nathalie came to MIT as a freshmen already feeling God pursuing her life. He seemed to be there at every turn, beckoning her to himself but she felt unworthy of his love.

She realized how many times God sought her out but felt guilty that she did not seek him in return, as she would naturally turn and live her life her own way, easily forgetting him.

Plagued by guilt, Nathalie saw involvement with Cru at MIT as her last chance to find a means to connect before he gave up on her.
Although she didn’t identify with being a Christian, Nathalie knew God was real and wanted a relationship with her. Jenn Halvorsen (Cru staff) arranged to meet her for coffee and listen to her story. Through many tears, Nathalie heard Jenn affirm that we are ALL unworthy (Romans 3:10-12), and only through Jesus can we approach God’s throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). And furthermore, that by His blood, he will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

As a result, Nathalie got involved in her dorm’s life group, delving deeply into Jenn’s Bible study with her student peers. Soon she committed to attend the Cru Fall Retreat with two newfound friends (Lyndsey and Sammy) from this life group.
As she experienced more community, had intense conversations with Lyndsey about how she came to believe, and listened to Fall Retreat speaker, Rick James, it finally began to sink into Nathalie’s heart how much Jesus cared for her. By the end of the weekend, Nathalie announced that she placed her faith in Christ.

Nathalie remains committed to her life group on campus, continuing to ask many insightful questions. Pray that she trusts the Lord more and more each day as she experiences new faith and security in Christ.

*This changed life story was written by Jenn Halvorsen, Real Life staff member, who shared the Gospel with Nathalie and witnessed the moment when Nathalie placed her faith in Christ.