I stood on the ground, looking up in amazement; 40 feet up. After 25 years of marriage—our anniversary is this week—Anne Marie is still surprising me. She was walking on a pole over more open space than I wanted anything to do with. (That’s her in the red coat.)

We were at the Athletes in Action headquarters in Xenia, Ohio, to train 13 fellow Cru staff members and interns to be better writers. Less than a mile from our meeting room; past the soccer, football, softball and baseball fields; is a ropes course. Our host there pressed us to make that part of the week. I’m glad we gave in and did so.

Hesitantly we all set out, promising to give it at least a try. Anne Marie got farther than many of her trainees, and farther than me, and was one of the last to come down—by a swing from 25 feet up, no less—when the afternoon ended. She felt a great release in taking risks and succeeding.

The next day, back in the training room, we guided class members through more instructions. By the end of the day, each had written three items including one about the experience on the ropes course. The writing the students produced in just a few days encouraged us.

Some of them work on magazines and web sites, some write devotionals, some plan to write books and three have books completed. Now they know more about gathering material before writing and how to sort and organize the material after they gather it. Their writing will be stronger, and all of them left with at least one specific action to take to be more effective.

I wish you could meet each of them, but I’d like to simply offer  their first names and ask you pray for Colleen, Kate, Kathy, Shannon, Nan, Steve, Eva, Katie, Joel, Tim, Courtney, Susie and Karen. As you think of us, please pray for these writers as they continue to learn how to communicate more effectively.

Thank you for playing a role in our ministry. Without you, this training and our work in publishing wouldn’t be possible.  We’re grateful.