What’s up next for the Stetson’s...

Big changes are coming our way and we’re so excited to share them with you! First up…we’ve moved! We just sold our house in Lawrence (sniff, sniff) and are living with Katie’s parents in Raymore, Missouri. This stay is temporary and we will be moving again in August to Orlando! Why Orlando?!? Well, that leads us to our second big change. After praying for the entire year about what God has in store for us next, He’s led us to an opportunity that feels like a perfect fit for our family & our heart for ministry. We will be spending the year on Lake Hart Stint, which is a special one-year Campus Crusade for Christ senior staff development program at our World Headquarters in Orlando, Florida. While it is tough for us to say good-bye to our fellow co-workers, friends & students at KU, we know that God has great things in store for us next year. We look forward to sharing more details about Lake Hart Stint with you in the coming months! As for our summer, we have lots of exciting opportunities to serve! Shawn is currently working from home as an MPD (Ministry Partner Development) coach to 6 new Cru interns. He has the privilege of helping them through the process of raising their initial financial support, growing in their faith, and completing their initial Cru Doctrine seminary class, all before they report to their first assignment (5 to East Asia, 1 to Nebraska.) We will also spend 12 days in June serving on the San Diego Adventure Summer Project! Just like most Campus Crusade summer projects, it’s geared to help students grow in their faith and get trained up on how to share the gospel. It’s a shorter condensed project to tailor to students who need to take classes or work during the summer.

A few spring semester pics!

KU Hindu Student comes to Christ

“So how confident are you now that you have eternal life?” ….. “A lot more than when I met with you today.” Two weeks earlier, in that same spot, our intern Billy met with a student named Dipankar for the first time. Only God could have arranged this meeting. Kelsie, a senior here at KU who has gone on many retreats, conferences and summer projects with cru, got his name from a friend at University of Arkansas (that she met on Summer Project.) This friend leads a Bible Study that Dipankar’s girlfriend attends. Dipankar had been talking to his girlfriend about God, but, being from a Hindu family, didn’t have a relationship with Him. He wanted to know more, and the girl passed his number along the chain. When Billy met with him, he asked what he values in life. He valued making others happy, bettering himself, caring for the poor, all good things that make him look like a pretty good guy. He even said that people had told him this sounds Christian. Billy explained to him that these were really great things, but these things in themselves were not good enough. Even when we have the purest intentions, things focused on the self and on others is not focused on God, and therefore is sinful. Billy pulled out a Knowing God Personally booklet and went through the Gospel presentation. He explained that we can’t do anything for God without Christ directing our path. God wants a relationship with all of his people, and wants what is best for people, but that can’t happen until we let God take control of our life. Dipankar decided that he wanted a relationship with God and prayed to receive Christ right there! He’s started to come to Bible study and they’ve started meeting to go through fundamental concepts about the Christian life.

Katie in Greece!

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Fall Getaway

Every year once the weather starts to grow cool, we give our students the opportunity to join us for a weekend, to leave all their studies and academic activities behind. I’m always amazed at the significant value this weekend holds for our students to grow spiritually, build meaning relationships with other believers, and have lots of fun while recharging their batteries. As time continues on and the culture of students continues to change, this weekend seems to become more valuable and meaningful. Often students don’t recognize this until they experience it. During the school year, they are so busy with class work and all the electronic “toys” and social media that they can float through school without taking time to connect with God or with other people. Our theme for the weekend was “go green,” with talks centered around “reduce, renew, recycle,” taking a look at connecting with God, walking in Spirit, and taking your faith back to campus.

Fall Photos

Cru Spring Semester highlights