2025 Ministry Updates

Gene and Heather’s 2025 Ministry Updates

Serving as missionaries with Cru is an honor and privilege that is made possible by a group of ministry partners* who give generously and pray regularly.

Thanks for being on the journey with us,

Gene and Heather

3/19/2025: Developing a heart of gratitude

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks.

Always. Without ceasing. In all circumstances.

It is interested how some students want to stop and write a thank you note to a professor and some just don’t. We see it each time we do a Thank a Prof on any campus. Some don’t know how and ask for help. Maybe the ones who hurry past do so because they just don’t know how to express gratitude. Maybe they do’t know how to experience gratitude. Those are different, experiencing and expressing.

But it is very important to consider the things we are thankful for. Could be anything. And it may seem like a strange thing to focus on. But following Jesus and being grateful go hand in hand. Want to know what God’s will is for your life? Be thankful.

We are living in an age where many people feel anxious about at least something, some of the time. Many all the time. It’s hard to be anxious and trusting God at the same time. Perhaps impossible. And its also hard, and maybe impossible) to be anxious and grateful at the same time. It’s a good reminder.

And I have about 50 professors that I can meet now while I’m delivering their thank you card. It will make their day.

A few notes and prayer requests:

  • Withdrawing Rece from PJH to homeschool him. It’s high time. Already seeing a different light in his eyes. Not easy. But easy isn’t the point.
  • Gene is narrowing focus even more toward his role with Faculty Commons. Means transitions with Destino. But we are not yet sure what kind of transitions.
  • Sadie is most likely to transfer into TAMUCC in the fall.
  • Leaders at TAMUSA and PAC are showing cool signs of multiplication. Destino at Saint Philips College is led by a young adult leader at a church on the West side of SA. Very encouraging relationship. With our staff team down in numbers, with some called to other Cru initiatives, some to full-time MPD for a season, etc, volunteers are such a blessing. As are collaborations and partnerships.

3/18/2025: We are just about a month from Cru’s spring World Wide Day of Prayer on Tuesday, April 22.

3/6/2025: It doesn’t always happen as planned, but this time it did. Jacob filled out a survey (see 2/29 entry) and Klarissa and Gene met up with him yesterday to hear his story, share our stories, share the good news (this is the language our team is using to share the gospel because of how easy, clear, and transferable it is. Note: we share on the GodTools app), and explain Destino. The gospel resonated with Jacob. He is excited about Destino, and plans to join Klarissa’s small group on Wednesdays beginning next week. That’s all great. But what stands out to me is how God is working through Klarrisa. As she helps lead Destino at TAMUSA, her faith is growing. She is smart, talented, and I believe is clearly on the road to being a multiplying disciple for a lifetime. That’s what we pray for. We didn’t make Klarissa. God did. And he is leading her. And we are honored to be a part of that.

3/4/2025: Jacob and I (Gene) made a day trip down to Texas A&M – Corpus Christi and Texas A&M – Kingsville to visit professors, talk with students, and walking through and around campus praying for students and faculty to know Jesus, etc. It was encouraging and fruitful. We would like to see Destino Movements launched on those campuses. It would also be great if we could develop faculty fellowship groups.

At TAMUCC, we talked to probably 30 students, including a girl who had tried to launch a Cru movement last year. That didn’t work out but we learned a bunch about the school and the process from her. We also met with a professor who is a solid believer, knows Faculty Commons, and offered to help in any way possible.

At TAMUK, We talked to another 20 or 30 students, many who indicated a significant interest in spiritual things. Some were believers. Some who were involved with the BSM group on campus. The professor there I have the best connection with is fun. Just an energetic guy who lights up when talking about the human body and how it moves. That’s his specialty in the Dept. of Kinesiology. He is amazed how anyone who studies any of the sciences can not see God. I think we are going to do a Faculty Luncheon the third week of the fall semester, when many new professors will have just arrived.

Those 2 campuses are about 50 minutes apart and each are about 1 hour and 45 minute drive from our house. We didn’t meet any students who were clearly the ones to launch a Destino Movement, but there is certainly an openness. Please pray for me to find other Christian professors and to understand the best way to move forward with Faculty Commons.

2/26/2025: Missions Night. A wonderful evening with many tacos and The Traveling Team .

2/19/2025: Tabling at TAMUSA… such an opportunity for students to get out of their comfort zones regarding their faith to essentially say, “My relationship with Jesus is very important to me. I want to grow in my faith. And I want you to know Jesus, too. And I want you to grow in your faith with me.”

One student, Jacob, came to this table and talked with one of the Destino students (or maybe Heather or me… we all talked to many students and none of us remember for sure meeting Jacob) and wound up filling out a survey (QR code on the table below). Heather reached out and found a time he was available. See entry for 3/6…

1/25/2025: Heather is just back from Legacia Gathering (formerly Destino Winter Conference) and had a great time with the team and students from around the country. And I am getting ready to go to the Faculty Commons Mid-year Staff Conference in Richardson, TX up a little North of Dallas, but still in the middle of the Metroplex. That will last about a week and then I have the Campus Ministry Team Leader/Director Conference.

“Legacía was amazing! Something that really stood out to me … was how God has His own plan for me and He will use me for His purpose, not my own. Talking with other students opened my eyes to what God is doing in their lives and what he wants to do in mine! There have been some convicting things that I had been holding onto going into this past weekend, but after outreach and all the fellowship with other Christian students, I’m ready to let go of those things.” – Carla* (TAMUSA)

Legacia was in Denver this year. Cold. Unusually cold. But God is in control and many indicated that their lives were impacted. Here is the recap video:

Here are three students from San Antonio who were on the flight with Heather:

Deshawn (San Antonio College) had a great time in the snow…

A couple of prayer requests:

  • School has started back for our kids. Please pray that they flourish… 3 in college and 3 in middle school. So please pray for us too :).
  • A couple on our team is off campus to give all their time for a season to inviting people to partner financially with them. So we’re short handed. Please pray for them as they take steps of faith.
  • Please pray for Gene’s travel and the rest of the family home.

1/15/2025: As we start 2025, we are doing something a little differently with our prayer letters/newsletters. I was flipping through the mail recently, wondering which ones I would actually open and read. In the middle of the stack was a post card. I was able to get the message in a glance. Nothing to open. Less trash. Easy.

So, instead of mailing a letter, we are sending post cards that will lead to this page.

1/6/2025: Wrap up… The season always flies by. Christmas, New Year. Family. Hopes. Dreams. Evaluation. Adjustments. It’s all there. It’s all here. And we are grateful. For the love of Christ. For his graciousness in our lives. For the plans he has for us. The works he created for us.

Our 2023 Year End giving blew us away, again. To God be the glory!

*Ministry Partners are individuals, families, churches, and businesses who resonate with our mission of creating opportunities on college/university campuses for the gospel to capture hearts, transform lives, and launch men and women into a life-long adventure with Jesus.