I can't believe we are already half way through fall quarter! God has been doing a lot of really awesome things.

Here are a few highlights:

• We have a lot of freshmen and new students coming consistently to Cross Training, which is our weekly meeting where we cook dinner for students and have a time of worship and teaching. It is starting to feel tight even in the Stenstrom's house. Better yet, most students who come to Cross Training each week are plugged into a small group and/or meeting with one of us weekly. We have roughly 75 students plugged into small groups, not counting the 30 or so guys (mostly baseball and football guys) that Jim Stump meets with one on one each week and has small groups with. Jim is a great ministry partner to have! He has been doing ministry at Stanford for over 35 years and has quite a legacy here. It is also neat to see a lot of the juniors and seniors taking leadership in different ways, reaching out to freshmen, and some helping lead a small group.

• Leading a few students to Christ. Always such a miracle!!
  

• Seeing students hearts and minds being transformed. This is also always such a miracle in a culture that can be hostile to Christianity, truth claims, and submitting your will to the Lordship of Christ in an often self-worshipping, consumeristic culture. We see it as a great privilege and honor to lead students towards Jesus and to put before them things that will hopefully transform them in the same ways that they have transformed us.

• Sandeep Poonen and his wife, Laura, have been working alongside of us as volunteers with student ministry. Sandeep is an incredible teacher of God's Word, and he and Laura have been a blessing to this ministry in many ways. In addition to teaching occasionally at Cross Training, Sandeep has provided us with a lot of Godly wisdom and support when it comes to shepherding this flock of students. We are thankful for the ways that he encourages us to stay focused on the MAIN THING--which is loving Jesus, submitting to HIS headship as the leader of this ministry and fervently seeking HIS direction, and pursuing transformation of heart and mind into the likeness of Christ in our own lives. It seems like it has been easier than in the past to remember that our greatest impact comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit and depending on Him for everything.

• Having Sandeep's father, Zac Poonen, come and share two weeks ago at Cross Training. His father has started over 30 churches in India, has preached through every single passage in the Bible at some point (and you can access it all at www.cfcindia.com for free!!), has written a ton of books, and is one of the most Christ like people I have met. It was a privilge to hear from him!

• 2nd mile this past weekend. We rennovated a school in East Palo Alto called Willow Oaks. We had about 600 volunteers come out and we finished everything we wanted to get done. It was a huge success and we know this project will richly bless the teachers and students there! Here are a few after pictures (it is better with the before pictures but I do not have them at this time. You can check out www.2ndmile.org for more before and after pictures soon, or to check out pictures from past projects!):

Part of the new teachers lounge

Vice principal and conference room

New principals office

Front entrance view

Mural that one of our students, Liz Smith, free-handed and painted!

Some upcoming highlights are:

• We are taking a group of students to the Passion Conference in Atlanta over Christmas break, which should be just an incredible experience overall. They have incredible speakers and worship bands lined up, including Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, Beth Moore, John Piper, Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Hillsong United, Matt Redman, and Charlie Hall. So amazing!

• Last highlight: I am currently 22 weeks pregnant, and we recently found out we are having a little girl! We are so excited to say the least! Prayers are invited for a healthy baby and a good transition into a life of parenthood. It boggles my mind and brings us to our knees in praise that a little eternal soul is being knit together inside of me right now. It is so so so crazy and miraculous!! There is no doubt in my mind that only an awesome Creator could do such a thing!

right after finding out that we were having a girl

20 week ultrasound picture

the piece of paper telling us what we were having