Light and Life in Community

Hi friends!

If you're in Texas, I hope you've been warm and safe with all of this freezing weather. If you're not in Texas, I still hope you've been well! As school as started, it feels like so much has already happened. Winter Retreat was a huge success, and honestly, one of my favorite years going. Beyond that, we officially started back with core and TNF, and are now thinking through SICM at the end of the semester (more to come on that later). That's only the tip on the iceberg though! However, in the midst of the whirlwind, I can't help but reflect on the lesson grace and what a gift that is for us as his followers. This is a lesson God has been trying to teach me for awhile, but now I think something he's wanting me to internalize a bit more. 

So, with that said, I hope you enjoy these photos and stories! Also, please feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions about anything here!

To start off,  WINTER RETREAT! Here is a photo of everyone who came, and honestly, it was so encouraging to see the turnout! Right before school started, FOCUS hosted a camp out in Glen Rose for 4 days. The purpose of this was to connect students to community and to prepare ourselves spiritually for the semester ahead. This year, we went through the theme of Light and Life as according to 1 John, and honestly, these talks and worship sessions were so needed and encouraging to each of us there. I always love Winter Camp, and am so glad so many students get to experience this weekend. I know as a student, this was genuinely one of the most impactful things to me that FOCUS put on.

 Here is one photo from worship during Winter Retreat! Majority of the time, I was at the front with my core girls. However, right behind me were over 500 students, staff, and alumni all worshiping and praising God together! I was so in awe every time I turned around, and couldn't help but imagine this being a small vision into what the New Creation would be like.

This is Travis! He's a student from our teen ministry, CTF. Connor, my husband, has been meeting with him weekly since he was in 6th grade to study the bible and talk about life. So, when I began dating Connor, Travis also was a part of the package because that boy is genuinely his little buddy. He's now a junior in high school, and it's been so cool over the past few years to see him grow more in loving Jesus, and also just maturing more as a teen turning into a young adult! At camp, he asked to come sit with me and worship, and I really was so honored that he wanted to come hangout with me.

Here's one of our Collin students, Graham, being...well...Graham. He definitely has a larger than life personality, but really really loves the guys in his core so well. He also has been actively working this school year to look more like Jesus. Honestly, something I really admire about this student is how quick he is to befriend people and how bold he is in his faith. At this moment, he was showing off his Lighting McQueen crocs to me, and when I asked if I could take a photo for my blog, he jumped into a chair and posed like this. I hope this explains so much about him.

The above two pictures are of yarn club! At Winter Retreat, we decided to have a bunch of different activities available to the students, including blocked off time for staff to show students things they love to do. Reagann and Andrea, two staff members with FOCUS, love crocheting! So, they hosted a yarn class to teach students the basics and even some advance techniques of crocheting. The sweetest thing about this, however, was seeing a bunch of guys from UTD show up and learn. UTD guys sometimes get the reputation of just being really socially awkward and nerdy, usually surrounding themselves with thinking about deep things or debating about mathematics (this is an over-exaggeration but hopefully you get what I'm trying to get at). So, seeing them really make an attempt at crafting and even enjoying it was so sweet and endearing.

Here's Laiya and I's core at Winter Retreat! It wasn't a huge group, but I really love these girls so much. I am so glad to have spent the weekend with them goofing off and being intentional. They really have been such a blessing to me this school year.

Here's our first TNF of the semester! We're back at it, baby! This was such a huge turn out for us, which was so encouraging. This semester, we're going over a sermon series we're calling BOLD. Essentially, something we've noticed in our community is that, overall, our students struggle with being bold in their faith, being set apart from the world, and even challenging their friends. Please be praying that, as we go through this series, our students are encouraged and take to heart that we're their biggest fans while internalizing what God might be trying to communicate to them.

One of my best friends turned 24! In case you don't know, this is Emily Turner, who also works on staff at FOCUS, but in Arlington. For her birthday, she decided to invite a bunch of her friends, co-workers, and students she meets with over to her parents house to have a small party. However, she very much had the mindset of serving us by providing dinner, making dessert, and creating spaces to make everyone feel comfortable and loved. This really reminded me of Jesus, and I was really honored to even be there to celebrate her!

Here's Connor working on prepping for his bible studies with students he meets with in CTF! This is a very random pic, but something that I found really sweet to witness. Lately, Connor has been trying to reorganize how he approaches teen ministry, which has included trying to take more time to prep for them and be purposeful in his conversations. Now with having a new job, he's been able to take more time to think and pray through where God wants him in ministry, which has been really exciting for me to see because I don't think I've seen him this excited about teen ministry since before we started the apprenticeship. I also just find it endearing that in marriage, we both get to come alongside each other and support each other in where we're serving.

Now begins the snow storms of 2023! While being home, it's been nice to rest, check in with students, think prayerfully about ministry this semester, and even get to spend some extra time with Connor! I also naturally hate the cold, but this time around, it's been cool watching the ice form. Even in the winter, which is my least favorite season, God is still present through his creation.

Again, thank you guys for all your support and prayers over this school year! Being able to work in this ministry has genuinely been one of the biggest blessings during my first year of marriage. Even more so, being able to be the feet and hands on campus for those easy and hard to love has really been an eye opener to my own heart, but also revealing of the Spirit at work at Wylie. Love you guys, and let me know if there's any way I can be praying!

Orion Clements