Seasons Changing

 Howdy and Hello!

Our leader team from this year. So thankful for all these young disciples.

 

   Feeling very excited for the end of the school year and beginning of Summer. Season transitions are often a time of either reflection, completion, or struggle. 

    Thankfully, I see myself, and most of the guys I got to minister to this year on the side of reflection and completion. This semester flew by and I have really enjoyed getting to know the guys in my core and in my studies this school year.

    I pray that all of you reading are in good seasons. Many of y’all don’t feel the transition to summer like us pastors and students do, but I hope you are finding yourself growing and not getting weary.

Emily had some girls over for the Eclipse.We also met our neighbors because everyone was outside! What a beautiful event to share with others. God is good.

Our core went fishing this month. Mauricio is the GOAT and caught that bass. I lost a tackle.

Making Baked Ziti for Vincent's fundraiser

I designed shirts for our church. The back is our mission statement.
Very proud of the design and this community.

    Emily and I hosted a couple different fundraisers this past month to help some of our students attend the SICM conference in Bellingham WA. We had two food events,  Baked Zitti then Nachos, and then I actually donated my art to be sold on campus for my buddy Kamaal. It was a smash success. We raised over $800 in one day on campus through selling shirts and prints. A huge blessing for Kamaal, and a huge encouragement for me. And honestly, a huge investment in UTA FOCUS, cause Kamaal is someone I think God will use to bless many young men in the coming years at UTA. 

    He has experienced the loss of a parent in his life and I have seen God continue to fill him up and restore his hope even in just a short year together. His testimony is a bold truth in a harsh world that God gives us hope.

We had a special send off for our seniors this year. What a great group of matured disciples. Eager to see them in the work force.

I went and saw Samuel's (far left) senior directing performance.
He did an excellent job with the scene from The Convert.

    After those fundraisers finished, it felt like a week to week count down. We hosted our last cores of the year, and I found myself reflecting on what a blessing this group has been to me.

    The goal of core is always to bring young men closer to Christ individually by the end of our time. And generally, that is always accomplished. But I always hope that our group would not just have individual growth, but communal and familial growth. 

    This group has grown to love Christ and one another better this year. Eager to see them in the coming semesters continue to be friends to me and each other. 

So thankful for these great guys in core.

    

    There were lots of encouragements being shared this month as we closed out the year. Our entire leader team wrote cards of admonitions and encouragements to one another. We challenged our students to be generous and they really came through. I found myself getting cards from people I wouldn’t have expected. Not only were many encouragements shared, but they were genuine, heartfelt, and Christ like. 

    I was touched by a handful of cards that encouraged me in my new phase of father hood and was extremely blessed. Excited to be a Dad with this community helping me grow and loving my daughter with me.

Emily, Bonnie, and I at our first (of many) baby showers.
We are beyond blessed by God and the people He has put in our lives.

    Last thing to mention was our End of Year formal which was a blast. I think closing out times of transition with memorable and reflective times is important. I think about how the Israelites celebrated the Passover to remember what God had done for them and not forget. We are humans and we are prone to forget what God does for us if we don’t practice celebrating often. 

    Our Formal was a time to be thankful, to be joyful, and to express love for Christ and one another. We had a great meal from Chiloso catered (for freeee!!!), fun and ridiculous conversation starters (I provided), and a slideshow full of this year’s memories. 

Formal Core photo

Goofy pic with my boy, Johnathan!

Dramatic pic with my boy, Garrett.

Sweet pic with my boy, Cade.

Lovely pic with my girls, Emily and Bonnie.

    Thank you for your support and for your commitment to campus ministry. I am extremely blessed in what I get to do. My students are extremely blessed in what God is doing through this ministry. You are a crucial part of this gospel work happening. 

Waldo sends his love from all the puddles in every park across the nation.