September 2026 - Celebrating Part 2!
Celebrating 75 Years--#2
One of the great privileges of my life has been to be with Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ for 62 years. And I am especially grateful for the opportunity to have been able to tell the stories of what God was doing through the staff and disciples of this ministry as editor of Collegiate Challenge and Worldwide Challenge magazines. And then to know and love and encourage our staff around the world as I traveled with my wonderful husband Steve for the 20 years he served as President. I am always amazed and humbled at God’s kindness to me.
A few highlights (there are many more):
Helping Bill Bright write Come Help Change the World and the Transferable Concepts. What a privilege to learn from that man who loved and trusted our Lord so totally.
EXPLO 72 in Dallas/at the Cotton Bowl. To produce (with the Publications team) a daily newsletter for the approximately 85,000 attending—to see God capturing so many hearts for telling the world about Jesus.
EXPLO 74 in Seoul, Korea: Several hundred thousand—from Korea, the US, and many other nations gathered to hear the gospel and to be trained to take that message to the world.
June 8, 1975: With great joy, Steve Douglass and I were married at Arrowhead Springs. We had dated for five years, and as I have said many times, he was so worth waiting for.
July 2001, Steve became global president of Campus Crusade—the grace of God!!
The Global Women’s Forum in 2004. Some 450 staff women from 95 nations came together to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped to become leaders in their countries and regions! There was an amazing sense of God’s presence—and His smile.
Join us in celebrating:
40 Days of Prayer:
In 1951, Cru was born on the UCLA campus with a 24-hour prayer chain. The same God who moved then is moving today on the campuses of the world. Join with us for a 24-hour prayer chain lasting 40 days from August 23 - October 1.
Sign up here and invite others to join as we call out to King Jesus, asking Him to do what only He can, in and through us for His kingdom and His glory! It's not too late!
Out to Launch: Who do you know, and where do they go?
Across the country, nearly 1,600 college campuses, and many more high school campuses, lack a Christian ministry or local church actively reaching students with the gospel. Through Cru’s Out to Launch initiative this fall, we are stepping out in faith to help establish 150 new campus ministries—and you can play a vital role. If you know a student, campus faculty member, or local pastor, your simple connection could help bring gospel hope and Christian community to a campus in need. Click here to introduce us to someone in your network.
Ignite Business and Professional Women’s Conference in Eswatini, Africa
Quite a few years ago Steve and I were in Australia, where we met Nanny, Davy, and Monique Makimian from Indonesia. They were launching a vision to share with other nations what God had enabled them to begin: In their nation they had undertaken to assist local Campus Crusade staff with finances, making connections, creative ideas. And they were beginning to challenge other business and professional people to do the same in their countries. That vision—called Ignite-- has caught fire throughout Asia and Africa. I (and Steve) have loved being a part of Ignite. And I am pleased to tell you about a recent gathering for women in Eswatini.
What an incredible gathering of women leaders on the theme "Arise and Take Your Place in L.I.F.E." From August 6th to 9th, 2026, Campus Crusade for Christ Eswatini hosted the inaugural Africa Business and Professional Women Leaders Ignite Conference at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini.
The event brought together over 100 participants—including 21 Eswatini parliamentarians and delegates from South Africa, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, graced by Keynote Speaker Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati Make LaNgangaza, Queen to His Majesty King Mswati III. Across two powerful days, women leaders aligned their L.I.F.E (Life, Influence, Finances, Expertise) with kingdom impact, culminating in 94 newly committed Ignite champions ready to help fulfill the Great Commission. Beside Ignite Vision sharing, the participants were equipped with resources like Significant Women and Jesus Film women tools.
Please pray for fruitful opportunities and expansion.
Embracing Grace on YouVersion
You are probably familiar with the YouVersion Bible App: Helping Everyone Everywhere Engage with God’s Word Every Day. It’s an amazing online site filled with Bible studies and other resources. This past year marked more than one billion participants. Cru has a number of studies available on the app.
Including a series by me. Janey Nieboer, a member of the Women’s Resources team, worked with the YouVersion team to produce Loving a Prodigal videos I did some time ago for Prayer for Prodigals. First in the series is Embracing Grace: Finding God’s Strength When Your Heart Is Tired.
Her Calling, Our Legacy Volume 2
I told you about this book last month. We have interviewed, written, edited, proofed, searched for photos—18 stories of 20 women who helped Cru take Jesus to the world. It’s in production now and should be available on October 1—in time for our big day of Cru’s 75th Anniversary on October 6!
Chaos at Home
Steve and I moved into the home I still live in 1991. It has been a lovely place to raise our three children, and provide a temporary home to Steve’s mother and a few friends of our children. When Steve became President of Cru in 2000, we added a large Florida room, where we welcomed about 1,000 people a year—Cru staff, ministry leaders, neighbors, and family—for dinners and other events.
Steve took care of house needs and maintenance—he even mowed the lawn with a push mower. In the past few years, without Steve here, the house has been showing its age. I’ve had to put on a new roof, get the whole house repiped, and replace landscaping. And so much more this year: a deep freeze took out much of the landscaping, a tiny leak in an upstairs toilet did major damage to three rooms, and an old hot water heater broke and took out two more rooms. Most repairs are done, mold remediation has happened, and now it’s time to put everything back where it belongs. Prayers appreciated.
Michelle and Brad and Boys’ Trip to Virginia and DC
What a privilege to celebrate with you! I would love to hear how Cru has been a part of your journey!
Judy