NEW YEARS MINISTRY

 NEW YEARS MINISTRY

Hello there and welcome to January's blog update! 2023 has already been a roller coaster of events for the UTD FOCUS ministry, including ups and downs, and I'm excited to share with you all what has been going on so far. 

Winter Retreat 

Every year we start out with our biggest event for all of the FOCUS campuses, Winter Retreat. This year we moved our retreat to a new location and changed the name from Winter Camp to Winter Retreat. This year's retreat was at the Riverbend Camp in Glenrose Texas. We invite all of our FOCUS students from all of our DFW campuses to drive out for the weekend to fellowship, worship and have fun. It was a really successful retreat and so many of our students enjoyed their time at the camp. It is always encouraging to hear about how fired up our students get for camp and after camp going back to their campuses. 

This retreat was also the first time I got to lead one of our worship sets! Last year would have been the first but I caught Covid and was unable to go, but this year I was ready as ever to help lead worship. As you can see from the picture above, my excitement is practically overflowing from my face.

Unfortunate Retreat Return 

While Winter Retreat went off without a problem, my return to Plano was met with an unfortunate issue. As I was dropping off some of the supplies we used from that weekend my truck, Big Red, gave out in the middle of Plano. Thank the Lord it didn't go out on my way back from retreat! That would have been a 90-mile tow back home! Thankfully Big Red is back and in good shape but it was a long three-week journey with her gone. 

Guitar Hero

If you have been keeping up with my blogs over the past few months, Jonathan my co-small group leader has made a few appearances on the blog. This month is no different! This month was Jonathan's first time playing guitar for our worship band on Friday night and he did great! It really is such a pleasure to lead a small group with him and watch him mature and grow as a disciple. He really is our guitar hero!

The McAfoose Family 

This month was also a hard month for ministry. Two of our students, Mick and Mitchell, lost their younger brother Micah just before our first Friday Night Fellowship. It was devastating news to hear for the twins and a shock to us as their closest friends. I would like to ask you to keep the McAfoose family in your prayers. They are a dear part of our ministry and it breaks our hearts as grieve with them over the loss of their brother. 

Pray For Students 

I would like to ask you to join us in prayer over our ministry. Our vision for FOCUS is to be a vibrant Jesus-loving community on every college campus in the DFW area. We hope to reach students and introduce them to Christ, mature them in their faith, and give them the tools to go and spread the good news of Jesus where ever they go. I am so thankful for not only your financial support but your support in prayer. It means so much to the students the amount of support you give them through our staff. Pray that more students would come to know Jesus and be transformed by his grace and love. 

Thank You

Thank you for your support! It is a blessing to have you as my supporter in ministry this year. I hope these blog updates fill you with joy on seeing just how much God is doing in the lives of our college students. Your support has allowed me to bring Jesus to students who really need him and I cannot thank you enough for that! Thank you and God Bless!

Student Testimony