High School Ministry Days at Cru15

Hearing from our leader, Darryl Smith ...

Our Cru15 (Staff Conference) days started out with High School Ministry Days from Friday evening (July 10) through Sunday afternoon (July 12). What a great privilege to hear from our leaders and to connect with other staff. We always love these times together ...

After the opening BBQ Friday evening, held at a park in Fort Collins, we met for the next two days at Newsome Hall, part of Colorado State University campus.

Lunch together on Saturday between our morning and afternoon sessions ...

Our view of the Colorado mountains as we walked from Corbett Hall to Newsome Hall for our meetings ...

Beautiful Colorado sky view at dusk ...

Welcoming new staff who have joined since our last staff conference two years ago ...

Our last session together on Sunday afternoon was a Celebration and Awards time ... honoring staff for milestone years on staff (we will be awarded for 25 years at the Cru17 conference, two years from now!), and also welcoming the new staff who have joined since the last staff conference two years ago. It was exciting to have a record number of new staff join!

Such a blessed time to connect with our staff friends from across the U.S. And such a blessed privilege to hear from our leaders.

A few of the highlights from my (Cherry's) journal, notes taken during our sessions. 

From Darryl Smith:

• Scope - "every" has always been on God's heart. The Gospel is for everyone ... "make disciples of all the nations". 

• Passion and Compassion - both are important.

• Passion = brings focus.

• Compassion = brings scope.

• The Good Samaritan gives us a clear example of "compassion". Though his passion would not have been to minister to a Jew, the Samaritan was filled with compassion to help someone who was in need. Though our passion as High School staff, is for high school and middle school students, our compassion draws us to care for all those whom God cares for ... everyone.

• Always pursue First Love ... above what we do; our focus first of all is always the Gospel, always growing in our love relationship with Jesus. 

From worship songs:

• I will live to carry Your compassion ... by the power of Your Name.
• ... offer this heart, O God, completely to You.
• ... remind myself of all You've done ... I am Yours, forever Yours.

Special focuses:

• Tracy sharing how critical it is to reach middle school students - such a harassed culture, helpless; prime time to want to know Jesus.

• Sunday morning prayer focus led by Stephanie. The key to God's heart is prayer; the door to God's heart is Jesus. Prayer (communicating with and listening to God) ... our invitation to come "home" to ultimate intimacy and acceptance. Intercession = laying our pressing emotions and heart concerns for ourselves and others before the King.

These are just a few of the ways we heard from God through our time together; thoughts to carry with us. The biggest take-away from time with other High School staff with Cru is always ... the Gospel and growing in our love relationship with Jesus. This is always held up as of prime importance and focus. All ministry is an overflow from this ... 

Our June News & Prayer Update

Gary & Cherry Warrick News and Prayer Update - June 2015  View this email in your browser

Summer Greetings!

"YAY! THE GETAWAY WAS SO HELPFUL AND INSPIRING!" This is a text we received from one of our Omaha South girls who attended the Cru Rocky Mountain Getaway. Her life was transformed in many ways! She was one of two van loads of students who traveled with Jake and Andy to this life-changing 5-day conference recently. At the same time, students who didn't make that trip continued with our weekly Cru Summer gatherings with our college student volunteers. Omaha students gather at GAMe Omaha in the Old Market, while Washington County students gather at the Blair Depot / Lyons Park. The college students are full of energy and enthusiasm as they also meet with us an extra night of the week to plan and prepare for the student gatherings. Click here to see a few photos from Cru Summer. As you can imagine, all this means the summer is fleeting by quicker than we really desire!   In addition, we, as well as Jake, Chelsea & family will attend "Cru15", the every-other-summer Cru All-Staff Conference in Fort Collins, Colorado, July 10-21. (The photo above is from Staff Conference 2013.) This is a fun, worshipful, inspiring, and encouraging time for staff from all across our nation, and also some from around the world! As you pray for God to use this conference to refresh and recharge us as well as the many other staff, would you also pray for us as we raise the funds that are needed for us to attend? We need to raise about $4,000 to cover the tuition, travel, lodging, and meals. These extra expenses, which are above our salary, hit our personal staff account during the summer months when contributions to our account are often low. Would you consider making a donation by giving to our staff account online - click here ... or by sending a check made out to "Cru" to our address listed below? Thank you so much. All donations for this need are tax-deductible, and are an investment in lives of students as we reach out to high school and middle school students here in the Omaha area. Thank you for your part as you pray for this need, and as God leads some to invest.   We have great fundraising news concerning our other Cru account, our Cru Operating Account. As many of you know, we participated in the May 20 "OMAHA GIVES!" one-day fundraising opportunity for area non-profits sponsored by the Omaha Community Foundation. Thanks to those who prayed and contributed, and with the generosity of local matching donors, we raised $6,480 for the local operating expenses incurred as we work with students on the 10 campuses in our Cru Omaha area! We are praising the Lord! Some of these funds made it possible for the Omaha South High student, mentioned above, to attend the Getaway where she was so significantly impacted.   We hope that you and your loved ones have a memorable summer! We continue to praise God for the healing He has brought to our granddaughter, Crystal, and our daughter, Amy, after the kidney transplant this past April. Both are doing well! There are continued doctor visits and lab draws for Crystal as all the meds are kept in balance to prevent rejection. Please pray for continued good results, and also for wisdom regarding her one remaining diseased kidney. It has been causing some problems, and it will likely need to be removed if this continues for very long. Please let us know how we can pray for you - your replies will come directly to our inbox. Gary & Cherry   Gary & Cherry Warrick / Cru Omaha Home/Office 402 468-5345 / Cell 402 659-3340 PO Box 184, Fort Calhoun, NE  68023 cruomaha.com / garyandcherry.com pursuingheart.blogspot.com Click here to donate to our staff account.   Copyright © 2015 Gary & Cherry Warrick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because of your interest in Cru Omaha.  unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Our May News & Prayer Update

Gary & Cherry Warrick News and Prayer Update - May 2015 View this email in your browser

Spring Greetings! Another school year is quickly coming to a close, and graduation receptions and end-of-year parties abound. It was a great year, with some students becoming aware of the reality of Christ for the first time, some coming alive in their faith, and some learning to be spiritual leaders to their peers! We are so thankful to all our volunteers and student leaders who reached out to students and gave consistent leadership so that we could have a living witness on 10 campuses in eastern Nebraska. Of course, active ministry doesn't stop for the summer, so we count on your continued support as we enter into 'Cru Summer', the Rocky Mountain Getaway, and Staff Conference!

Fundraiser for Cru Omaha Operating Account! We have been given an amazing opportunity to participate in a major fundraising campaign this month. This is our first year to take part in this fundraising effort! Donations made online through OMAHA GIVES! will provide much-needed funds for our Cru Omaha Operating Account. These funds will provide for our operating expenses, student scholarships to both the summer Getaway Conference in Estes Park and the winter Denver Christmas Conference, and will provide funds needed throughout the school year to reach students on our ten campuses.   We praise God for an anonymous donor who has offered to match each gift given to Cru Omaha ...    $1 for $1, up to $10,000!! Please consider making a donation on WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 to help fund the 2015-2016 school year of reaching students in the Omaha area!  All of the funds donated to Cru Omaha through this fundraiser will go to our Cru Omaha Operating Account.    Spread the news and help us reach our goal of $30,000 for the 2015-2016 school year!   Simply go to OmahaGives24.org and click on 'Give' or 'Non-Profits' at the top of the page. Then type in 'Cru Omaha' in the box at the top of the next page. This will take you to the Cru Omaha page, where we have info and photos, and you can make a donation by credit card. Thank you so much!! Kidney Transplant News & Praise! How do we put into words all that has happened since we sent out our last newsletter? Our granddaughter Crystal's kidney transplant is now history, and we are filled with thanks to God for all that He has done. The whole process went very well, even beyond what we even dreamed possible! Crystal was admitted to Medical City Hospital in Dallas on April 18. The photo above was taken that afternoon, as we, together with our daughter Amy spent some time with Crystal. Amy,  the very generous kidney donor for Crystal, was admitted very early on April 20. Both surgeries took place that morning - a very emotional time as we waited together as family ... for us, a daughter in surgery and a granddaughter in surgery at the same time. We praise God for His presence, and for a successful kidney transplant! Crystal's new kidney from her Aunt Amy began functioning right from the start! We praise God for caring for our granddaughter and that now she has a healthy, functioning kidney after two years of not feeling well as her kidneys declined ... and we praise God for our daughter who so selflessly donated one of her kidneys. We were blessed to be in TX from April 15-29 to help throughout the weeks of transplant. Our list of thanks is long, as there were many amazing ways that God cared for our family throughout the transplant process. We thank you for your prayers! Please click here to go to Cherry's Pursuing Heart blog to read about some of the incredible ways that God cared for all the details of the weeks of transplant and recovery. We appreciate your prayers for continued full recovery for both Amy and Crystal. And please continue to follow Crystal's journey on her CaringBridge site. Please pray for no rejection in the weeks and months ahead.   Thanks again for all your love, encouragement, prayers and financial support! We praise God for you, and for all that He is doing through Cru Omaha! We would love to hear from you! Please reply with any news, comments, or prayer requests you may have. Gary & Cherry   Gary & Cherry Warrick / Cru Omaha Home/Office 402 468-5345 / Cell 402 659-3340 PO Box 184, Fort Calhoun, NE  68023 cruomaha.com / garyandcherry.com pursuingheart.blogspot.com Click here to donate to our staff account.   Copyright © 2015 Gary & Cherry Warrick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because of your interest in Cru Omaha.  unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Transplant Day!

Monday, April 20 - the day all of us as family, and especially Crystal and Amy, had been waiting for! It was a day greatly anticipated, and also a day that we approached with apprehension. It would bring the much needed kidney transplant for Crystal, but it would also bring surgery, pain, and recovery for both Crystal and Amy. But we all knew that we would not be alone - we had the promises and presence of God to carry us through all that lay ahead.

Crystal was admitted into the hospital on Saturday morning, April 18 ... and the next day (Sunday, April 19) Gary and I, together with Amy, checked into the nearby Residence Inn so that we would be close to Medical City Hospital for Amy's early entrance to the hospital the following morning. It worked out perfectly, and we made the 5-minute drive to the hospital very early (5:30 am) on Monday morning, April 20, with no problems at all. 

Amy reported to Day Surgery on 2nd floor to be prepped for surgery, and then was taken to the Holding area at about 6:35 am. We were able to be with her until about 7:30 am when she was taken for surgery. Amy was so brave and sweet through every step of the day, as she has been from the beginning of her decision to donate one of her kidneys to Crystal. It was such a priceless blessing for us as parents to be by her side. 

Crystal had already been admitted to the hospital on Saturday morning, two days before the surgery. She, as well, was brave and courageous even as she faced surgery, held up by God's peace and strength through her two-year journey of kidney failure. Her surgery was scheduled for 8 am, but was actually delayed until about 9:20 am because of a mixup in scheduling of the anesthesiologist. And we think that Amy's actual surgery was probably delayed a bit, as well, to keep the timing of the two surgeries just right for transplant.

It was quite a morning for us as family who were waiting while the surgeries were going on. Two precious family members in surgery at the same time ... a sweet daughter in one surgery room, and a sweet granddaughter in another. On the same floor, with surgery rooms near to each other. So much emotion with our hearts and prayers focused on two different loved ones going through kidney surgery at the same time. Amy's left kidney would be removed to donate to Crystal, and then taken on ice directly to Crystal's surgery room. Crystal's right diseased kidney would be removed, and she would be ready to receive Amy's kidney into her lower right abdominal area at just the right point.

We received texts on the progress of each surgery, and also kept watch on the screen in the waiting room showing what stage of surgery they were each in. The method of showing which stage of surgery was with a symbol - so we saw either the symbol of a knife, some stitches, or a bandaid. (We heard later that they are planning to change the use of the knife symbol to something else - and we thought that would be a good idea!) We all waited in the same waiting room for the first part of surgery, but then we needed to move to separate waiting rooms in order to keep receiving notices of the progress. Mark & Cristy & Abigail needed to be in the pediatric surgery waiting room, and Gary and I in the adult surgery waiting room. These two waiting rooms were just down the hall from each other, so we could still keep in contact with each other as family without a lot of difficulty.

Amy's surgery was started at about 8:30 am, and Crystal's at about 9:20 am. We received a text message at about 10:45 am that Amy's kidney was about to be transplanted into Crystal! We were amazed that things could be moving that quickly, that the transplant was actually taking place! So amazing and so incredible - and so emotional for us as we waited together as family! We were filled with thanks to God for His provision of a healthy kidney for Crystal Mae.

Shortly after, there was a bit of confusion for those of us in the waiting room as we were watching the progress on the waiting room screen ... as it looked like Amy was back in surgery after having been in the recovery room for a bit. And as we heard later from the doctor, that is exactly what happened! Dr. Aronoff remembered that there was one more procedure he likes to do for thinner, petite patients, and so Amy needed to receive a bit more anesthesia, and be taken back into the surgery room for some more stitching on an inner layer of muscle. We are so thankful that doctor made the effort to take care of this step.

Because of that bit of delay for Amy, Crystal was done with surgery and was moved out of surgery ahead of Amy. After their surgeries, Crystal was moved directly into  pediatric ICU at about 12:30 noon, and Amy was moved from the recovery room to her room on 8th floor at about 2 pm.

How we thank God for the good reports from the doctors - both surgeries went very well, and Crystal's new kidney from Amy began working well right from the start!!! How amazing!! You can read much more on Crystal's CaringBridge site, where Cristy so beautifully shares interesting detail about transplant day.

As time allows, I'll continue on with more posts about the days following the actual transplant day. This has been such an anticipated event for our granddaughter (and for all of us as family), and recording this journey is one way for us as grandparents to preserve our memories, emotions, and details of all that happened during transplant. We are filled with thanks to God, and also filled with thanks for all of our friends and family who are praying for our family throughout this transplant journey. Thank you so much - we are blessed by you, and are so very thankful for God's provision, love, and care! So much emotion as we anticipated transplant day, and so much emotion as we continue on. 

Crystal Admitted to Hospital

How can we be such privileged grandparents, and parents? To be the grama and grampa for sweet Crystal, and the mom and dad for our sweet Amy is definitely a priceless blessing. They are each so selfless, and uncomplaining as they both await surgery on Monday morning. We thank God for filling them both with His love and grace. 

Crystal was admitted to the hospital this morning, and she together with her loving mom, our dear Cristy, settled into the room where Crystal will rest and be monitored as she waits for Transplant Day on Monday. In the photo above, you see Gary and me, together with Amy, as we visited them this afternoon. Click here to read Cristy's update on their CaringBridge site this afternoon.

Reminders to Wait Quietly

These words from Psalm 62 have been on my mind these past few days - the days leading up to Crystal's transplant surgery and Amy's surgery to donate. There are so many things that are on our minds as the day approaches - details about upcoming surgeries and hospital stays, learning of many details of our care for Mark & Cristy's family and home during hospital days. And the state of our hearts and minds is often quite the opposite of "quiet".

And I love these words that remind us ...

Let all that I am wait quietly before God ...

I've actually been repeating these words (and others) over and over in my mind at times throughout the few days that we have been here. And I also need to purposefully pull out my journal periodically throughout each day, and write out my thoughts and my prayers. A practice that helps quiet my heart, pulling me aside to keep my focus in the right place.

We spent six hours at Medical City Hospital yesterday with Cristy, Crystal, and Amy. All the pre-op and pre-admit paperwork, lab work, and doctor appointments took place for both Crystal and Amy. It was also a time for Gary and me to get acquainted with the hospital, and meet some of the doctors. 

Today is a quieter day at the house, preparing for Crystal to be admitted to the hospital tomorrow morning on Saturday. And then on Sunday early afternoon Gary & I, and Amy will check into a motel near the hospital. Amy will be admitted at 5:30 am on Monday morning, and we want to be close by. No time to take any chances of delays in driving to the hospital  ... being close is best.

Click here for Cristy's latest update on Crystal's CaringBridge site to read more details of our six hours at Medical City Hospital yesterday ...

Thanks for your prayers and love for our family. And praise to God for the news just this morning that the "cross-match" lab work done yesterday reveals a "green light" for transplant. Confirming again that Amy is a great match to donate for Crystal.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

My victory and honor come from God alone.

He is my refuge, a rock

where no enemy can reach me.

O my people, trust in Him at all times.

Pour out your heart to Him,

for God is our refuge.

(Psalm 62:5-8)

Starting Out on the Transplant Journey

This journey to our granddaughter's kidney transplant actually started a little over two years ago, when Crystal was diagnosed with a rare genetic kidney disease. We all knew back then that though there was no cure for this disease which would lead to her kidneys failing sometime during her teen years, there was something that could rescue her, a lifeline of sorts - a kidney transplant.

For two years, you (our friends and family) have been updated on how Crystal is doing through Crystal's CaringBridge site, through our monthly newsletters, and as we have met and shared our lives in person. Maybe we have sounded like a broken record for these two years, continually asking for prayer. For Gary and me, it has been an all-consuming thing always on our minds - in the midst of a very full life of Cru ministry, and a full life with our family of 22 (our six grown children, four sons-in-law, and ten grandkids!), and also during the past six months of helping care for our aging (Siebert) father. Thanks for always listening and caring, and for being forgiving to us if we have talked about this or written about this too much at times!

And now the time of transplant is here ... tomorrow we make the 12-hour drive to Dallas, also taking Amy along (our oldest daughter who is the amazing, generous kidney donor for Crystal). We'll be staying with Cristy & Mark and their family, and will have a few days all together in their home before Crystal will be admitted to the hospital this Saturday morning, and then Amy very early this next Monday morning. They also both have some pre-op testing this Thursday, and the actual transplant will take place on Monday morning, April 20th.

You are invited to read the very detailed updates of transplant and recovery on Crystal's CaringBridge site. Cristy does an amazing job of keeping family and friends updated through this site. We would love for you to follow her updates!

There is no need for us to repeat here what our daughter Cristy is doing so well on the CaringBridge site. She will be sharing many of the details of transplant surgery and recovery, as well as asking for prayer along the way. But this place here will be our own online journal of sorts, sharing our thoughts along the journey, asking for prayer from our perspective. Our days will be full serving our TX family, and also caring for Amy through surgery and recovery ... so we are not sure how often we will be able to write here. But as writing is part of living and breathing for me (Cherry), I'm sure you will see us here quite often! 

Feel free to respond or ask questions along the way ... through comments here or on facebook as we link our posts there. We both know that this is not a road to be walked alone ... we are in need of God's mercy and strength each day of our lives. And we are so appreciative of our friends and family who pray for us. Thank you for being part of this journey together with us.

I (Cherry) read these words yesterday, and they comforted me and encouraged me as we step into these days/weeks of caring for our family during transplant ...

The Lord will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs

in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

(Isaiah 58:11)