Hi readers!
Hope all things have been well with you! March felt so long and so quick all at the same time, but something I appreciate about it nonetheless is the introduction of spring. This time of year always reminds me of hope, and that God truly does make all things new. Through hearing birds chirping more in the morning, the slowly increasing days, warmer weather, or even the budding trees, I'm reminded that there is always an end to hard seasons and that change doesn't always mean death and destruction.
Speaking of change, in other news, I have decided to not stay on staff with FOCUS after this year! For those who don't know, I had a one year contract post my apprenticeship. So, a lot of this semester has been making that decision as to whether I want to pursue campus ministry as a career long term. To put it short, the answer is no. However, that doesn't mean I don't love this job. There is so much I enjoy about it, and with personal life events this year, I'm really grateful God had me here. However, it does seem like God is setting me up to pursue adult ministry and invest more in our family of churches that way. So, that is the main reason why I'm stepping down from my position after this year. I really am excited for what God has in store, but I'm definitely sad to be leaving the Collin staff team after May-they really have become family to me.
Anywho, on to photos!
1. Here is a photo of Laiya and I's core! One night, we had the ice breaker question of whether they each preferred Taco Bell or Blue Bell (what would your answer be?) and majority of them answered Taco Bell. So, the following week, we got them a box of tacos! These girls really have become sweet little sisters to me, and I'm really excited for where God is going to take them after this year. Laiya and Briana complain frequently about me leaving them, but it's as if they still won't be a part of my life after this school year. They're not getting rid of me that easy.
2. Over Spring Break, Connor and I went camping. This was my first time camping so I didn't know what to expect! This really was such an adventure and treat. The campground we were at was technically a farm. So, right next to our site was a pen of goats and chickens. Very quickly Connor and I made friends with them. We also went bird watching, canoeing, and star gazing, which overall made it such a unique and fun time. 10/10 would do it again.
3. Recently, David and I have been trying more 'spicy' outreach topics to get students thinking. Something we've come across at Collin is that students are overall apathetic to religion in general. So, lately, we've had to think through what outreach should look like in light of that. With having more thought provoking topics, we've been able to engage with a lot of Christian as well as non-Christian students. This one particular week, we asked the question 'What is Hell?' with photos for students to put sticky notes on with their own comments. From some students, we had mixed results, but overall, it was genuinely a really good discussion. At one point, we even had a professor talking to us about his thoughts, and had students having their own friendly discussion about their differing views. David and I were definitely hesitant at first to try this question out, but it seemed like there was a positive outcome to it!
4. This is our Worship Night that we had for Collin! Coming back from Spring Break, this was such a refreshing and needed time. Pedro, our assistant director, led our students through scripture, worship thoughts, and an activity to remind themselves of truth when lies creep in. I know for me, this was a needed experience in knowing and remembering God's comfort. When looking around the room too, I couldn't help but imagine with God the future of this ministry and how many students there could eventually be leading this group as staff. It's crazy what God does in time, and I'm prayerfully excited for what's to come at Collin after I leave.
5. Here's our group photo from the Women's Retreat! Recently, Connor and I transitioned back to the Garland church, and while I had been going before working for FOCUS, it's definitely a different church now. There are so many more people than before! So, initially, I was struggling to not feel intimated in approaching different women and getting more connected. Torrie, Laiya's mom, and another woman named Tana planned this retreat to focus on intentional living, and this really was a game changer for me. They were so thoughtful in planning this event, and I left feeling more connected and integrated into the church body. One activity that we did that really stuck out to me was the inter-generational sharing. At one point, we broke out into our generational groups (20's, 30's, 40's, etc), and discussed what needs we had as a group that the church body could meet. Then, someone from each generation shared that with the rest. From everyone talking, while there were specific and diverse needs, you could tell that at the core, each generation just wanted to feel connected and known. This was genuinely impactful to me, and helped me to understand so many more women in the church.
Thank you all again for your support and prayers! As the semester finishes out, please be praying for me to be thinking intentionally and purposefully about finishing well in my time with FOCUS. These past 2 years have been so pivotal for me, and I'm so grateful to have been a part of it due to your generous support and care. Love you all, and let me know if there's any way I can be praying for you!
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