Senior Leadership Initiative, Cru17, and Family Update

This is some of the text from my latest prayer letter. I had trouble uploading the actual prayer letter, but I guess this will work just as well! The formatting is strange, but at least you can read it :) Technology...sigh.

Zoe with our newest family member, Wally.

Senior Leadership Initiative:

About 12 years ago, Cru began to notice that the senior leadership of the organization as a whole was getting older, and yet there was no plan in place to raise up new leaders who were being equipped to lead at a organizational level.  Out of this need was born the Senior Leadership Initiative (SLI).  SLI is a 2 year intensive leader development program that equips folks within Cru to grow their leadership capacity - every participant receives a professional coach (a person who leads in an organization outside of Cru - people in business, academia and non-profits).  Each participant has been nominated and chosen.  I’m humbled to say that I’ve been invited to participate in the SLI group that is launching this summer.  I know that I’m going to learn much about God, myself, and leadership in general.  Please pray that I would grow and also that God would use me to bless others in the group.  

Cru17
In two weeks, I head out to Colorado for our once every two years staff conference.  This year’s theme is “with” and the focus is on partnership. Please pray that this time would be a blessing and encouragement to our staff and to me.  Keep an eye on this blog - I will include a link to the live stream once I have one!  www.jonathanandkerri.blogspot.com
Also, if you'd like to give towards my summer expenses, you can do so at give.cru.org (just type in my name in the "start a new gift" box and it will guide you from there.

Keeping up with me:

I do highly value communicating with you.  So once again, I’m renewing my commitment to update our ministry blog, but I’ve also created a Facebook page that I update a few times each week. If we are not friends on Facebook, feel free to friend me and I can add to that group.

Personal update

Last summer, we bought a house right around the corner from our rental.  We’re on a quiet corner lot, fairly close to most places we need to go everyday, with a house payment lower than our rent!  Our new address is 10316 Stoneside Trail, Fort Worth 76244.  If you sent us a Christmas card and it got returned, I’m so sorry.  Apparently the USPS chose not to forward our mail in December.  

The girls had a good school year - Zoe just completed 5th grade and Sophie 1st.  We try to not get overwhelmed with activities, but Zoe has enjoyed playing viola in our school district’s orchestra as well as juggling swimming and our church’s “pre-youth group.”  She loves to perform and had a role in her school’s 5th-6th grade play this spring, which was so fun for her.  Sophie keeps us on our toes and often quite entertained.  She played basketball for the first time this past winter and really enjoyed it.  She’s looking forward to giving soccer another shot this fall.

Jonathan just completed his first year as a middle school librarian at Indian Springs Middle School in Keller ISD.  He had a great year; this job ticks so many of the boxes for him.  God was gracious to provide just the right thing at the right time.