Comments on: Cru

By: Darlene Fray

Darlene Fray — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:08:05 +0000

I want to thank you for posting and sharing what is happening and giving honor to the Lord through this loss. I am in California and grieve over the tragedy, but your postings have allowed me to get closer to what is happening so as to better share in it with you in heart and in prayer, and to be encouraged in the comfort God is providing to all of you as you walk through this together. Trusting His light to illumine the darkness (Ps. 18:28, 32). Much love in Christ, Darlene Fray

By: Dave Heinrich

Dave Heinrich — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:53:35 +0000

Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for your comforting and personal thoughts. Also, for keeping us informed. My wife Donna and I are praying for you and your ministry to all the students. We appreciate all you and the other staff are doing to bring God’s love into this situation!
Blessings from Mpls MN

By: Eric Litynski

Eric Litynski — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:51:03 +0000

Cynthia - thanks for the updates. I, like many others, can’t imagine how emotionally draining this experience has been for you all. I watched Molly’s interviews and I pray that God will give her comfort, peace, and healing. There are so many fellow Christians that are praying for you and your CRU at Virginia Tech and I was glad to hear that you are finding bits of time with each other to take a break from focusing on this event and just “being” with each other. Please let your fellow students and leaders know that your fellow siblings and friends in Christ are raising you up.

God bless you!!

By: Paulman

Paulman — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:33:43 +0000

Thank you Cynthia for sharing such a heartfelt and real message with us. We might not even be in the same country (we’re in Canada), but our campus also suffered a similar loss earlier this school year, though it wasn’t nearly as traumatic as what you guys have gone through. One of our young Campus/Crusade for Christ students lost his life, not to violence, but to sudden medical causes, and it was a shock to all of us. He had just finished his first year of university with us, and had just started to take up some leadership and lead a Bible study group. He was going to come back to school after taking a semester off to work when this happened.

However, even from such a tragedy, God brought good from it. One important example is how a friend he was starting to date ended up coming to the memorial service we held in place of our weekly meeting, and within a week or two of that and the funeral, one of our senior students ended up leading her to Christ. She is growing in her faith and is now even supporting fellow students who are going on summer project.

Anyways, my point is that God is good, and He will get you guys through this tough time. I hope we can encourage you to keep on trusting in our God, just as you’ve encouraged me to live like and live for students such as Lauren and Mary.

Let me leave you with the first passage that I thought to put on my blog after hearing of our friend’s passing:

—-
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-38 (ESV)

By: Joanna

Joanna — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 09:35:28 +0000

As a fellow college student, though not at Virginia Tech, please know that VT’s Campus Crusade is being specifically lifted in prayer daily. I pray that the Lord would both comfort and use each of you… comforting you during this time of unspeakable grief and using you in mighty ways to bring others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Cynthia, for honestly sharing your thoughts.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:19:48 +0000

I just can’t even imagaine what you are going through at the school.i am very thankful that Campus Crusad is on the campus.Thanks for being there and helping everyone during this time.

My prayers are with you.

By: julie

julie — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:53:01 +0000

Thank you. I haven’t been able to feel the pain of this situation yet and it is Friday morning. I wasn’t sure why … too much violence on TV? Have there been so many situations like this now that I no longer react with sadness? Reading your posting, especially the end about the hymn that was sung, brought out my emotions. Praise God for people like your friend. I am sure she has made a HUGE difference in so many lives.

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:43:43 +0000

Thanks Cynthia for allowing us to hear from your heart and had even a small glimpse of what you are all going through.

By: Paula Miles

Paula Miles — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 01:13:01 +0000

Thank you for the openness of your updates! What great encouragement the stories have been for my soul this week. I attended Campus Crusade back in my college days in the very early 80’s at a Pennsylvania college and what a difference it made for my walk with the Lord. Knowing that at least 4 of those whose lives were tragically cut short are now standing in His presence brings great comfort. My family has been praying for all of you at VT, but for Crusade in particular because you will be there in the trenches long after the media has packed up their vans and moved on to the next story. And you will be the hands and feet of Jesus to your hurting community. Continue to lean on each other and to draw strength from His mighty Spirit. He will give you all you need. Know that brothers and sisters from around the world, especially those who have been touched by Crusade, are standing in the gap for you.