We’re preparing for a major change in my work. I’ll still be writing and editing for Cru, but it won’t involve Worldwide Challenge magazine. This change, like most, will be sad, while also offering new opportunities.

We’re getting used to changes, and the mix of good and bad that comes with them. About two and a half years ago, Anne Marie joined the Cru writers team, allowing us to work together on the magazine and other projects. Then about 17 months ago, she moved on to her current job working alongside Judy Douglass, the wife of Cru’s president, Steve.

My work will change as the magazine will not be published after this year. Cru’s leaders made this decision based on two factors—how few Cru staff members were choosing to give the magazine as a gift to their donors and, thus, how few donors to Cru were reading these stories.

The leaders have thus asked our whole team to work on other ways to share these stories. These will include putting more stories on our website, Cru.org, in a print newsletter, an email newsletter and more. We’re still working on the details, and will let you know more as we make decisions.

This is a common trend among organizations like ours. Many people want to read shorter items and to be contacted more frequently. They want specific information that interests them and not a large block of information for everyone. Becky, our new editor, compared the experience to coffee. We used to just brew a big pot of standard coffee for everyone. Now, in a coffee shop, we can order a single cup of coffee specially made to our taste: decaf or regular, latte or espresso, flavored or plain.

Of course, we were shocked when we heard the news. The magazine has been published for 43 years, and has always been part of our lives on staff. Anne Marie worked on it as a summer intern, and then for five years before we moved to the Philippines. I, and then we, were correspondents for the magazine from Asia. And for more than 20 years in Florida it has been central to our work. We even won awards from the Florida Magazine Association this month (above).

As you think of us, please pray for the last issue of the magazine to encourage readers—we’re finishing it now and we’ll mail it later this month, and for our team to plan well and wisely as we make this transition.

Thanks for praying for us and for playing a role in our ministry.