Recently, Arvin and Jason reconnected after four years. Arvin, a Cru staff member in the Philippines, was excited to learn that Jason had become a follower of Christ and had become a missionary with another organization.

In 2016, Arvin was a student actively involved with Cru on his campus in the Philippines. One afternoon, he met Jason and shared with him how to become a follower of Christ. However, they were not able to finish as Jason’s class was about to start. Arvin got Jason’s contact information and they set another time to meet, but they did not connect as planned.

Now, in 2020, Arvin learned that their encounter four years ago was part of God’s plan of pursuing Jason. In 1 Corinthians 3:6, Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.” Arvin planted, and as others influenced Jason, he had grown.

Arvin’s experience reminded me of Bill Bright’s definition of success in talking about Christ with others: Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.

I saw the value of that definition in the Spring of 1980. I was nervous as I approached a stranger on a beach to talk about Jesus. So much was new. I was at a real beach for the first time, facing the Atlantic Ocean. And as part of a Cru outreach, I was expected to talk to strangers.

Still, I felt less pressure on that beach than I had in the past, even when having similar conversations with people I knew. The difference was that definition. I was under no pressure for a person to respond — that was up to God. I was only responsible to share the message.

During this pandemic, I hope you’ve had a chance to share with others the comfort and peace a relationship with Jesus offers. As we do, we don’t have to worry about the response.

As you think of sharing God’s love, I’d like to offer two ideas. First, GodTools is a Cru app that will help tell others about Christ. You can see how it works on YouTube at “GodTools: Helping you Share Your Faith.” Second, you might find helpful information for yourself or to share at “FamilyLife, Home Isn’t Canceled.”

Please continue to pray for people to seek Christ during this time. We’re grateful for your prayers and partnership in our ministry.

P.S. During this pandemic, some of our ministry partners have had to reduce their giving. If you’re in a position to give a gift, you can so so here: https://give.cru.org/0262910. Thanks for your interest in our ministry and your concern for us.