October 2024 - I Will Make a Way
Twice a year Cru staff around the world gather to pray. Yesterday, October 1, was our Fall Day of Prayer. I love the theme for this year: God will make a way. That has pretty much been the path of my life.
From birth it seems, I have wanted my own way. When I came to Christ at 15 it was a surrender with these words: I choose Your way. Over these many years of my life, over and over, God has asked me to choose His way. Sometimes those have been hard choices, but always God was working to make His way clear and good.
I did a video for the Josh McDowell Ministry staff for our Day of Prayer, giving some personal stories of God making a way in my life.
Pleroma—the fullness of God
When I was asked to join the single women of LAC (Cru’s Latin America-Caribbean region) for a retreat in Colombia, I was delighted to say yes. I am so glad I did. Truly we each experienced the theme of the gathering--“pleroma”—God’s fullness for every season of our lives.
Never married, divorced, widowed—we joined together in worship, messages, creative time. Counselors and spiritual directors spent time with many. I had a tender two hours with 5 other widows, as we shared our stories and God’s faithfulness.
My executive assistant of 24 years, Wanda, speaks Spanish and translated my long-ago book, Single and Complete, into Spanish and also to Portuguese. I shared my “single” story in the book, and my becoming “single again” since Steve left. We gave them each a copy of the book.
Enjoy these pictures and a video montage from the conference.
Beyond: Creating a Life You Love After 50, 60, 70, and More
For all my female friends in the second half of life, you will love this book. I was invited to partner with some Austin friends—Mary Henderson, Carol Dodds, and Lyn Alexander—to help create a book to encourage and assist women to discover and live out God’s fullness in their later years. More than 300 often-asked questions are answered, from personal experience and with great resources.
This fun and helpful book launched yesterday (October 1) and is available as a paperback and as an ebook—wherever you buy books. You can listen in on our launch party here: https://youtu.be/qISNVXSl7aA?si=Tt5zIxEwRrCxbEn_
Two Years Without Steve
On October 29, 2022, Steve moved to Heaven. Has it gotten easier? No and yes.
No: I miss him every day. His presence, his love, his laughter, his helping hand, his positive attitude, his believing the best. And those tangible things like making my coffee, taking out the trash, paying the taxes, fixing big and little things at home.
Yes: God is so faithful. He promised to be with me every step of the way, and He has. He comforts, encourages, gives wisdom, provides strength. He walks with me through every opportunity He opens up for me.
So, though I would rather be partnering with my wonderful husband in all my ministry activities, God continues to open doors and sustain and empower me for each assignment He gives me to do.
I am, with some great helpers, working on getting some of Steve’s teaching and writing available to anyone who would like to keep learning from him.
Here are two messages from Steve you may not have heard:
Conversational Ministry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ut6D-dxpnc&t=2s
You Are His Workmanship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8idEPU9BTo
May you experience the fullness of God as you seek His way,
Judy