2 is Company, but 9's a Crowd!

Every Tuesday morning, the staff at Crossroads crowds around our office "kitchen table" for staff meeting. We write postcards and pray together, we learn more about our mutual callings and ministry, and we plan for future success. It's always entertaining, worthwhile, and encouraging.

But this week it felt different! This Tuesday marked the official first staff meeting with our new staff member, Nancy McNeil, who has finished raising support and is joining the team to take over Accounting and Office Manager, a role Rich is happy to give her as he transitions to a full focus on newsletters and all things graphic design.

While our kitchen table only naturally seats six, every week we slide in where we can with borrowed chairs, cramming Doug and Dawn, Jerry and Rich, Daniel and Stephan, and Katrina and I somewhere around the table. This Tuesday, we felt... full! Ready to expand! As I looked around the full room, buzzing with conversation, jokes, and new ideas, I couldn't help but think, wow. God has called each of us here specifically, and this is only the beginning!

All of this new energy came with a humbling thought: The Shed opened just over a year ago, giving us double the office space we had in the old church. But Every. Single. Desk. will be filled this summer! We're currently preparing for two new Summer Residents--two passionate, dedicated college volunteers have stepped up and are spending their summers working full time with us! More on that next week.

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Captivating Moments

Hi! Katrina here. Over the summer, we take a break from weekly program (in order to give our volunteer staff a break) and instead meet with our students for summer bible studies. This summer, a close friend and I are leading a study together based off of the book Captivating. We met for the first time last Thursday with seven girls attending and we've added a few more since then! This book has made significant impact in both Grace's and my life, and we're so excited to share it with these girls. It focuses on what it means to be a woman, which I know, sounds really cheesy, but I love the way the author approaches the topic. Rather than giving a list of ten things we need to do to become more feminine, or more beautiful, or more independent, or more loving, or more servant-hearted, the author looks at a woman's heart and how God originally designed it-- for life-giving relationship in glorious beauty. The author talks about the messages we receive as children, the good...

The Little Things

Contrary to popular belief, we have a life outside of work! I know, it's shocking. We love our jobs and the ministry God allows us to do, but sometimes we spend so much time describing all that God is doing at Crossroads that we forget to mention everything we've enjoyed in our personal growth and lives. So here's a small timeline of some of the significant things that have happened in the past seven months. Each event has a small description in the second picture. Enjoy!

Bridges and Breakfast

After program last Sunday, a small group of staff and volunteers met at the Finish Line, a wonderful diner with all day breakfast. It was so refreshing to meet after an exciting but long week and talk through ministry, prayer requests, good movies, and life. Today, on this beautiful Tuesday morning, I'm driving from Hillsdale to Chippewa County in the Upper Peninsula with Doug, Dawn, and Jerry. While we prep for time with local pastors and church representatives, I can help but think, wow! God has blessed us with such an abundance of opportunity--and while I know I can trust Him to provide everything to accomplish His purpose, I am actually pretty overwhelmed by the pace He is setting. In some ways it feels like last week that Kat and I joined the team. We grow more and more each week, but I still feel stretched every day. I know I said I'd talk more about our marvelous summer residents this week, but due to the U. P. trip, I'll save that for next week.

Kat and Nate's Adventures

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