From Laura Sosa

Dear Craig,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1:3-5

Praise God for how He has rescued us from our sins, bringing us from death to life, blind to seeing, perishing to a glorious inheritance with the Father through Jesus Christ His Son!

I give thanks to God for you, Craig, for your faithfulness over these last seven years in serving the Lord on the campus of ECU. I can’t tell you how many testimonies I have heard from believers I meet that were saved during their college years. As you know, this is such an impactful time in a person’s life and the Lord has strategically placed people like you to proclaim the good news of the gospel to a very lost, dead, confused generation on the college campus.

I was one of these lost students. But by God’s mercy and providence, He brought the Word to me through a Crusade Bible Study my freshman year… which eventually led to my salvation. Praise God for how He was able to use this ministry in which you labor to save a wretch like me, and many others at ECU.

The impact was great as you know, and I also desired to devote myself to this similar work. But as we soon found the Lord had different plans for me, but He is so good. It’s amazing to think that those Crusade days of “equipping” me to share the gospel has now led to opportunities as a married person to have international students live in our home from the Middle East, sharing the gospel with them and studying Arabic-English Bibles together. Praise God for how the seeds that were planted in me years ago are still being sown to students all over the world – without even leaving the U.S.! We have each been given unique opportunities for ministry and evangelism, and it is such a joy to labor alongside you still.

There are many things I remember about you Craig. The Lord has gifted you in so many ways. Here’s a few that came to mind:

1. Boldness. I love how you always had a boldness to declare what is true in God’s Word. You were not afraid to talk about an “unpopular message” to a tough crowd about our sin, and the judgment we deserved. You were not afraid to challenge people very directly and confront others who did not know the truth or who were in sin. I pray the Lord would continue to give you this boldness and courage as you share with others.
2. Discipleship. It doesn’t stop with sharing the gospel. Craig is about discipling! You want others to learn what it means to follow Jesus and devote yourself to helping them know Christ through studying His Word. Just reading through your recent newsletters, it is evident that you are bearing much fruit in this work. I pray the Lord would help you continue to give of yourself to show others what it really means to walk as Jesus did.
3. Evangelism. Similar to boldness, but your heart is there – to reach the lost. You have much compassion on those who do not know the truth, desperately wanting them to come to faith. I pray the Lord would refresh your own soul by causing your heart to meditate on the goodness of the gospel. I pray you would continue to proclaim the gospel clearly and that many more would be saved.
4. Friendship. Simply, you are a great friend. Your family showed so much love, generosity and commitment to me during my years at ECU. Countless times you listened, gave good counsel, showed compassion, pointed me to the truth, opened up your home and your lives to serve and care for me when I was in need. Continue to love, as Jesus loved. This brings much glory to God.

So, Craig (and Kim!), press on in the good work you are doing. The Lord is your strength and defender. Stand against the devil’s schemes. When you grow weary, remind yourself of God’s promises. Turn to His Word and prayer when it’s tempting to be discouraged.

My biggest hope and prayer for you would be that not only you would point students to the truth of the gospel, but that you would also point them to our need for the church. After our conversion, this is arguably the most important thing we need most. The Lord is so good to provide a way for us to continue growing in holiness and to keep us from wandering from the fold. The sheep need a shepherd, and the church is designed for the people of God to reflect His character. This is our calling, until the Lord calls us home. I pray that more solid churches would be raised up in Greenville, NC and that students would become life-long followers of Christ.

Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

With all my love and prayers,

Laura (Wright) Sossa
Class of 2008

P.S. If you ever want to visit D.C. with your family, give us a call!