Thank you for your prayers for Jason

IMG_1926Thank you for your prayers for Jason and our family. We are truly touched by all the emails and messages. He is over the pneuminia and began chemo late Monday night. You can tell he’s excited!

If you want to continue to pray, we have set up a Caring Bridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jasoncosper/journal where you can access the most current information and receive emails when updates are posted. There is also more backdrop information if you are interested. We refreshed his 2009 site so there are journal entries from his amazing battle with lymphoma where we saw God do miracles. We’re praying for His presence again.

Please Pray

becky and jasonPlease Pray! Jason (oldest daughter Becky’s husband) almost died Thursday afternoon. He went to the hospital with back pain but caught a virus and has been in ICU. In the process, they found AML (leukemia). He battled lymphoma a little over 6 years ago. This may be a result of damaged cells from the chemo.
 
Odds are not good but we know we have a God that defies odds. He will spend the next month in the hospital. Thanks for your love and prayers —
 
Maggie & Roger 

March 2015 Letter from Roger and Maggie Bruehl

                                                                                                                                                                March 6, 2015

Dear friends,

What do you think of when you hear the term “auditor?” Do you think “evangelist?”

I have the privilege of leading the Cru audit team of four auditors. They audit all of our ministry leaders yearly and ministry accounts every 3 years on a rotating basis.

One of the auditors is Larry Kent; someone you might guess is an auditor. As I got to know him, I discovered his real passion — Sharing the gospel.

Larry has developed a tract called, “Smiles.” It has been translated into over 100 languages. He gives it out freely from his website, http://www.on-tract.com , to anyone who wants to print it.

“Smiles” has had amazing result. Every time I see Larry, he’s bubbling over with a new story of how it has been used. One email came from Kenya:

It is my pleasure to inform you that the Lord is doing miracles over here through the tracts we’ve 2015-03 Pl pictrue 1been giving out in Streets, Bus Park, Market & Schools. I was surprised yesterday when 32 students searched for me. They found me in the church compound & they said, as they were going through the tract on Sunday when they were in studies, that they felt something like a land breeze hovering around their gathering of over 80 students. So out of them 32 took an initiative of looking for me & I led them to salvation.

Secondly brother, today in the evening have received a strange phone call from a man called Tobias. This man said, he has been a Muslim for 18 yrs since 1996 but when he read the tract which his son came home with, he got to know JESUS & I led them to salvation together with his family of 6 people over the phone. I will visit him soon. There are more & more testimonies that I cannot all explain brother.

2015-03 Pl pictrue 2Vijay from Nepal wrote: I am very excited to knowing your ministry. Here I would like to share my interest to you that if it could be possible to print your tracts into Napali, it would be great.

From Pastor Buckya in Banledesh: We are printing 60,000 of your tracts in 3 languages (Banjara, Teluga and Koya). They will change many people lives from darkness to holiness. Please pray for our team. We need strength, wisdom and good health to reach many unreached villages.

What a privilege to work with someone like Larry!  It reminds me how God wants to use us in our own unique ways. The world has gotten smaller with the web. While Satan may be using it for evil, people like Larry are using it to “let the whole world know.” Thank you for your prayers and support which allows me to work with someone like Larry.

 

Roger Bruehl

P.S.  If you want to see a video of how Larry starts a spiritual conversation, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H35CyLmfIzQ&feature=youtu.be

February 2015 Letter

2015 Cartogram

February 9, 2015

Dear Roger and Maggie,

 

This map puts 2015 in perspective. We tend to think of the US as the center of the world. But if a map represented nations not by land mass but by population, this is how it would look. Australia and Canada hardly exist while India becomes massive, larger than China. Islands of SE Asia were the biggest “ah-ha.”

 

Information like this helps us realize where resources (prayers, workers, finances) could to go to reach lost sheep with the gospel. Before the re-occurrence of her cancer, Maggie was able to help Steve Douglass (President, Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ) initiate a study to determine a baseline on our vision that “Everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.”

 

The results are in and illuminating. Europeans have the highest awareness of who Jesus Christ is (not a surprise), but are least likely to say that they know a true follower of Jesus (sad). Awareness of Jesus is low in Africa, yet it was the highest continent to know of a true follower of Christ. And despite all of our churches, North America’s responses made it the third lowest continent to know a true follower. Generally, when asked how responders know the person who is a true follower, family (32%) or friend (37%) were the highest responses. (If you would like to see the full report, go to click here).

 

Putting the map and the survey report together, we need to build networks of family and friends in areas of large population. In Africa, those who know Jesus need to make him known. And in our own nation, we need to live lives that cause those around us to know that we are true followers of Christ.

 

Our church’s small group is studying, “Walk Across the Room.” Amazing conversations have been started just in the first week as individuals reached out and make themselves available. One man, who had cut off a co-worker when she was rambling on an IT issue, went back and apologized which, much to his surprise, opened up a conversation about his church who teaches about putting faith into action.

 

Thank you for your prayers and support so that we can work on projects like the survey.  We appreciate your encouragement to us, as we, in turn, encourage others in their walk with God. Pray about what the survey and map means as far as next steps in our lives as well as yours —

Roger and Maggie

2015 -01 New Year’s Years Letter

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year is what you write on the top of a Christmas letter that didn’t make it on time! Last week was a rough week in the family (including a hospital stay) that scrapped the best of plans, but we’re coming out of it and are grateful.

 

It has been a good, hard year. Maggie started with aggressive chemo treatments which, praise God, did their work, bringing her cancer marker down from 12 to .4. She continues on a maintenance dose with some side effects, but for the most part, is doing well.

 

I celebrated 44 years with Cru this last summer. The ministries I supervise are stepping into new areas of growth with exciting opportunities and challenges. They solidified their leadership and support base for which I give God all the glory.

 

Becky and her family are doing well in Orlando. The boys are in high school and over 6 foot tall(and stretching to beat me!). Her work at Clinique is stable even with economy shifts. Jason’s company was bought out which is challenging but stable.

 

Jessica and her family moved to a different house in Fort Lauderdale. They transformed their back yard from a jungle to a mini-Key West paradise. Rick’s mother, Lori, moved into the guesthouse and is working locally. The kids are having fun with Cheer and soccer. We love having them nearer to us.

 

James’ company has also gone through transition this past year, but seems to be solid at this point. Zachari is also over 6’ (we have tall boys!). His half-sister, Chloe, is still fighting brain cancer, so continue to pray for her.

 

Amanda is our “escapee,” living in downtown Grand Rapids. She moved to a new position with the Reformed Churches of America in their donor department. Her big accomplishment was a charity bike ride from GR to Chicago — go girl!

 

Time has a way of flying by. It seems just yesterday we were newly married, starting out with little more than a prayer. We feel so blessed with family and friends. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering this year, in pain or estranged. We pray that they will find peace this next year, and that they will come to know the One who delights in them —

 

 

 

“He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.”   Psalm 18:19

Roger and Maggie Bruehl ● 267 Bayou Circle ● DeBary, FL 32713

 

Rockets and Planes – June 13, 2014

Cru RocketRockets and Planes – both fly and get you to your destination. One just has more resources and a longer destination.

Let’s talk about rockets first. There is a new video on YouTube that is the best explanation of Campus Crusade for Christ/Cru that we have ever seen! Take a few minutes and check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y23_GChHn30

Now let’s talk about planes — Roger is headed for South Africa for a trip with CrossRoads June 12-19. Crossroads is a resource ministry that trains public school teachers how to deal with youth at risk, equipping them to teach morals and ethics from a Biblical world view. While he is there, Roger will meet with CrossRoads leadership from 10 countries: Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Mauritius, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa, as well as the national director of South Africa. Roger and the team will be gleaning best practices, training in new processes and materials and begin the process of planning by country and by region for the next five years.

This is his first overseas trip since Maggie began treatments again for cancer. Pray that the trip will reap eternal benefits and that Maggie will do well at home (She has friends and family she can call on if needed).

You go with us wherever we go through your prayers and giving. You have helped “launch” ministries around the world, in person and digitally. Whenever, wherever, we go, we’re so glad you are with us!

Roger and Maggie Bruehl

Results of Faithfulness – May, 2014

You did not choose me, but I chose you
and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit
and that your fruit should abide,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
John 15:16-17

Our small group from church has been going through the book of John, and it’s been a wonderful study, especially powerful in light of Easter and Jesus’ resurrection. Each week God has unfolded fresh insights. These verses became even more powerful in light of an email we received:Linda Johnson

The Lord laid you on my heart tonight and I want to thank you for your spiritual input and nurturing my Christian faith. I remember so well the night Maggie shared the Four Spiritual Laws with me as a follow up to CCC’s concert and Jon Braun’s (I think that was his name and not sure how to spell it, but it was on Sex, Love, and Dating). Although I didn’t quite understand the difference between religion and a personal relationship with Jesus, I became involved in the CCC meetings.

About three months later that the Holy Spirit touched my heart and gave me understanding that I truly accepted Christ as my Savior.  I loved our bible studies and friendship.  I learned so much and the Lord used CCC and you to instill in me a love for evangelism and discipleship.  I am grateful for the firm foundation that was built in my early years as a Christian…

Linda was a student at Illinois State University in 1969, and her life was radically changed. After teaching 6 years to pay off student loans, she attended Moody Bible Institute. The communist revolution in Grenada, West Indies, forced her home after just 2 years as a missionary. Resilient, she has served in Brazil for the last 30 years. Like she said, “Little did I know what plans the Lord had for me and my future then…Thank you for being instruments in the Lord’s hands to teach me guide me, and challenge me in my walk with the Lord.”

We were humbled to receive the email and be reminded, after all these years, of God’s faithfulness. Linda is an amazing example of “fruit that remains.” And we were reminded it was not by our power we were chosen to reach others. We were fulfilling our “appointment.” We asked for “fruit” and God has given it to us over and beyond anything we could have imagined.

We were grateful to hear Linda’s story and hope you hear it as a story affirming you in your faithfulness. So many have stood with us during the last 40 years of ministry. Often, we don’t know the results. But sometimes we get glimpses of how those prayers and giving have produced fruit. Thank you for your partnership with us.

Roger and Maggie

Conversations About Jesus – April 8, 2014

I’ve been sick all week and am finally opening the mail. We received 2 letters back to back that I thought might be an encouragement to you.

The first was from Pam who talked about Debbie (Jesus Film) who had an opportunity to share with a Muslim woman on the plane. I don’t know about you, but I often don’t know where to start a conversation. Her opening line was, “Is your religion important to you?” What a great question! The woman explained that she was a devout Muslim, but then asked Debbie about her religious beliefs.

And interesting conversation followed about who Jesus is. Debbie told her about The Jesus Film and Magdalena, a movie we originally created for Muslim women. When they touched down, she was able to find it in Arabic at app.jesusfilmmedia.org and showed it to the woman who exclaimed, “They speak Arabic!” She emailed the link to her so that she could watch the entire film later.

The second was from Leah who had a great Costco story. Three years ago she struck up a conversation with am employee who looked like she was in emotional pain at the gas pumps, bringing God/praying into the conversation. The woman poured out that her estranged daughter was married to an ex-convict who was beating her regularly. She promised to pray, returned the nozzle and drove away.

Just weeks ago, Leah was again at Costco, in the pharmacy line, when Donna rushed up to her. “She left him! She and the girls are now with me!” she said excitedly. They talked in the clothing aisle and Leah told her how she had continued to pray. What a God moment that must have been.

I guess I’m sharing these stories because they are a reminder to me that we are a “light” to those we are around, whether it’s on a plane or in Costco (or a hospital waiting room – where I spend much of my time these days). And I was impressed with the ease and boldness of how these women turned everyday encounters to the Lord. I thought they might be an encouragement to you.

And, this is why we do what we do — a passion to reach people for Christ. How we work out that passion is sometimes more administrative (like auditing the ministry that produces The Jesus Film so that it doesn’t get shut down), but that passion is the same. We knew you were passionate about the gospel also. Maybe these tips will encourage you —

Maggie

 

February PL: Sochi

SochiFebruary 5, 2014

We would like to invite you to do more than just watch the Winter  Olympics! Athletes in Action, Cru’s ministry to athletes, is planning fruitful ministry around the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. While you might not be able to attend the Olympics, there are plenty of ways for you to be a part of the ministry.

1. Pray for athletes, coaches and Olympic officials – AIA is enlisting people to serve as Olympic Prayer Partners for the 2014 Sochi Games. Each person will be assigned the names of 3-5 Olympic athletes to pray for during the weeks leading up to and during the Games.  Ask His blessing over their Olympic experience, His provision for their physical health and safety, and His dominion over their spiritual lives as they have the opportunity to encounter the various chaplains and ministry personnel who will be present at the Games.

2. Pray for the chaplains and others working with the athletes – AIA leaders and staff representing over 10 countries will be ministering to Olympians with direct access to the athletes. They serve as chaplains,  advisers, counselors, coaches, trainers, and other administrative positions.

3. Go to www.beyondtheultimate.com and use social media and other means to share faith stories from the athletes.

    • Speed Skater Jilleanne Rookard
    • Bobsledder Curt Tomasevicz
    • Snowboarder Kelly Clark
    • Paralympian Bonnie St John

We have had a busy month preparing for audit reports. Maggie has been working with Global Operations in preparing a basic training document for new national leaders. She starts her 5th round of chemo next week (she’ll be on chemo until she’s ready for a stem cell transplant). We hope you are inspired to pray for us as well as the athletes, that we will all run the race before us.

Roger and Maggie

 

July Newsletter

July 31, 2013

 Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers this last month. So much has happened, it’s hard to capture it in a letter.

First, Maggie is walking! She has been walking with a surgical boot, and last week we got the word she can start walking with a regular shoe, starting with a few hours a day. She’s been going to rehab to try to regain a natural gait and has some pain, but overall it’s given her (and me) an incredible amount of freedom. We’re defining a new normal for which we are grateful.

Secondly, doctors have not been able to locate the source of the cancer and therefore, have not begun treatment. For some, this would be a stress builder, but having been through chemo before, this has been a window of opportunity for us to do some things before hard times come. We keep praying that if God wants us to find it and treat it, He will make it high visible. And if He doesn’t, we will continue on the path before us and trust Him.

Third, we had an amazing time at our staff conference and Maggie was able to join me for part of it. Alastair Begg, a pastor from Cleveland, spoke from Jude, encouraging us to stay true to our calling and the faith to which we have been called. I had the privilege to speak to 4 of the ministries that report to me, encouraging them to continue to trust God for the future was we continue to transition them for even greater effectiveness.

Fourth, Maggie was able to complete a project as our President, Steve Douglass, made a report before the Board. There had been confusion on statistics that Maggie waded through and figured how to communicate in a way that affirms our values and goals. She enjoys working on big challenges, but she is also glad when they are over.

Lastly, God is providing the resources to pay for Maggie’s medical and staff conference expenses. We have hit our yearly “out-of-pocket” so Cru is paying 100% of her treatments, for which we are grateful, but we still have a deficit we are trying to cover. Wonderful friends of the ministry have already donated 2/3 of the cost, but we still need about $3000. Could you pray with us that it will be covered.

And if you have not signed up for Maggie’s blog at www.thebruehls.com, I really want to encourage you to do so. She’s done a great job summarizing the spirit at staff conference as well as her thoughts and feelings with her health. I know she’s inspired me through the transparency of her walk with the Lord.

Thank you so much for partnering with us in ministry. We are grateful each day for our partnership that keeps us going. It’s been a good month, and we want you to rejoice with us —

Roger and Maggie

P.S.  If you would like to give towards our medical deficit please go to htpps://give.cru.org/0008787