Happy New Year! We pray for the peace of Christ to anchor you and your family in living hope with abundant joy as we begin 2022!
With a new year upon us, let us focus our hearts on the greatest sacrifice ever made! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16)—what a sacrifice! Together, we rejoice because “He who knew no sin became sin so that we might be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” (2 Corinthians 5:21)—oh, what a sacrifice! We unite to praise the Lord because He has “borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4)—selah, for the sacrifice. We can bless the name of Jesus because He loved us and has given Himself as an offering and a sacrifice (Ephesians 5:1-2)!
Alleluia! As we honor our Savior today and this year, we also consider the daily responses of our students as they have consistently given up something for the sake of Him who is more important and of greater worth. No matter the need, there has never been an occasion where the students of Christian Union Nova have not offered themselves and their time because of earnest love and reverence for God, as well as a commitment to this ministry. For this reason, I am comfortable saying, they understand what it means to make a sacrifice.
Each week, when so many other responsibilities could have taken precedent in our students’ busy lives, many were present for their Bible courses—it was a sacrifice. When staffing challenges could have overshadowed the ministry completely, student leaders rallied to serve peers within the community—it too was a sacrifice. When campus activities could have distracted from large group attendance, students showed up consistently, and in record numbers at times—again, it was a sacrifice! And now, freshmen are not only actively involved on various ministry teams, but they have accepted roles of leadership along with others for the new term!
Students have made, and are making, sacrifices because of their love for Jesus and the CU Nova community, but it’s all possible because of your offerings and sacrifices. How easy it would be to reroute your financial commitment, and yet, you continue to give because the work of ministry matters here. How natural it would be to pray for yourself and your family alone, and yet, you keep us in your prayers regularly. How logical it would be to minimize the need for campus ministry because of your other responsibilities, and yet, you consistently demonstrate how much you care. It’s all a sacrifice—a willing surrender of self because God is deemed worthy of all that we are and all that we have.
And so, with heartfelt appreciation for your sacrifice, we release a blessing over you and trust that our Father will never forget your work and labor of love which you have shown towards us at Christian Union Nova! We remain well because of His grace, and your prayers. For that, thank you.
And, on behalf of every student at CU Nova, we bid you a life-giving new year!
Agapé!
D. Qwynn Gross
Ministry Fellow
Christian Union Nova
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at Princeton, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
