Growth Spurt

 Howdy and Hello! 

She was flabbergasted I would take a selfie of her right when she woke up.

 The school year has officially started and it has been so special so far. 

    First I would like to apologize for how late this is. I am still figuring out the balance of work and parenthood. I so so appreciate all the support and prayers that you all give to me, and I love keeping you all in the loop with how God is moving through your gifts and prayers.

    The school year always starts with many long hours on campus hosting events, making new friends, and just generally making ourselves as leaders as available as possible to students. This first week involves so many new faces and new conversations.

Lots of people checking out our ministry at the petting zoo

We hosted a petting zoo to help us meet new students during the first week of classes

My buddy, Mauricio, with his new friend during welcome week

We attended many campus events to meet as many people as possible

We passed out over 2000 water bottles with our ministries labels. We got to serve families on the hot move in days, help students refresh while they found classes, and helped connect people to our ministry through a simple and cheap advertisement. Strategic loving.

Meeting George at the petting zoo we hosted

    This year we have 23 student leaders. Our leader team is probably the healthiest it has been since my time joining staff. There is such an eagerness to make Christ known and to disciple new people. They have had excellent attitudes all throughout the crazy first couple of weeks. Long hours and lots of conversations, all while in the sun can drive anyone crazy. But I really believe the Spirit is moving through them, because they all seemed so willing and excited to meet new people and invite them into community. Continue to pray that this team keeps up this pace. Great fruit will be sewn by this.

Hacky Sacking to meet students

Emily and Bonnie at TNF

    While numbers is not the most important part of any gathering, when the group is creating real friendships, is devoted fully to Christ, and is raising up leaders, it is very exciting to see an influx of new students. We had the biggest TNF in UTA Focus history this August with 155 students in attendance. What is so amazing is the retention of those students into our cores and subsequently into our one on one Bible studies. Here are some of the photos from the first cores of the year.

Chris and Austen's Core

Sarah and Dom's Core

Daniel and Mauricio's Core

Precious and Laurel's Core

David and Colton's Core

Ashley and Alisa's Core

Sarah and Madison's Core

Josh and Kamaal's Core

Vincent and I's first Core

Our very first TNF 

    It encourages me so much to see all these cores filled with happy faces. Core is a space for people to experience, learn about, and practice the love of Jesus. I have had several students tell me just how thankful they are they got connected to FOCUS this semester, and its only the 3rd week. Guys telling me at church “this is exactly what I needed, thank you for inviting me”. Guys telling me in my car “I have been feeling pretty homesick. I don’t think I’d be leaving my dorm at all if you hadn’t gotten me plugged into this. It’s great.” Guys telling me “this is the first space on campus they have found friends, and I’m a sophomore.”

God is moving here.

    And while God moves, so does the enemy. Something we have been encountering is grumbling and small divisive motions from students over the racial diversity of our ministry. Our vision is for our ministry to reflect the diversity of our campus, through race, major, economics, gender, culture, you name it. We believe God’s kingdom is a diverse one. But currently, our all white staff is not the end goal. It is what we have however. Please be in prayer with us over these things:

    1. God would raise up many leaders of many racial backgrounds to join our staff and better represent the vision Christ has for us. 

    

    2. That God would remove the enemies' complaining in our students and bring volunteering, collaboration, and equipping young leaders of color to help our services reflect our Christ in all his Glory.

As tough as it is to see division stirring in incoming students, 2 things have been particularly encouraging to me. 

    1. The enemy only moves when they are fearful of what is being accomplished for God. I really think our ministry is on the verge of great revolution and fruit.

    2. Our current student leader team is the most diverse it has ever been. So while there are some grumblings in the newer students who have not seen the changes made overtime, I see God really raising up some wonderful leaders who look nothing like me in the best ways possible. 

    The regular rhythms of ministry  have begun again for me. I am starting new Bible studies. I am hosting public readings of scripture every Thursday. I am planning leader meetings and managing our sound team for services. We are back in the wonderful grind of campus ministry.

First public reading of scripture of the year. We read through all of Mark. Shortest Gospel gave It quite the advantage in selection.

    Pray that I am relying on God in my ministry. The temptation to keep myself busy and rely on myself has been very present. Especially with my wonderful daughter taking up much of my home rest, I am trying to figure out my wells with God. Thankfully I am getting a half day Monday for a sabbath and reclining with Christ. I am thankful to work in a ministry who enforces a minimum on days we take for rest, rather than limiting a maximum. 

Thank you once again for all your prayers and support!