A Psalm of David - Focus Ministry Updates

Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." -Mark 8:23b-24 Hello, friends!     Thank you so much for your financial and prayerful support. I hope this month's ministry update finds you well. We got through February in North Texas without an ice storm, which is pretty miraculous. But God isn't just sustaining the weather, so let's look at some other things he's been doing this month. Pizza Theology Each semester, all of the FOCUS campuses get together for 2 hours of lecture, 1 hour of pizza, and another 2 hours of lecture. We call it Pizza Theology. This semester's topic was about Bible translation, canonization, inspiration, and interpretation. It really blessed our students! Family Night Once each year, we invite families of students to join us for TNF (Thursday Night Fellowship) so they can see what their students do every week, and so we can thank them for raising amazing youn

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering  you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of  our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the  spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. -Ephesians 1:16-17 Hello, friends!     Hello there, people blessed by God! Thank you so much for joining me in ministry for another semester. Let's recap January. Winter Retreat Top: Shayna enjoys breakfast time! For the most part, students held her and passed her around meal times. It's so sweet that we got to bring Shayna to Winter Retreat and that students got to love on all the babies. Speaking of... Middle: By my count, there were 5 babies brought to Winter Retreat under 6 months old by FOCUS staff parents. We set up a corner in the main sanctuary area for the babies to "play together". In this picture, Luna is curious about Shayna, while Shayna completely ignores her, preferring to play with a toy Temoc instead. We're still teach

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 Hello, friends!     Happy New Year! 2024 has an extra day, a presidential election, and most exciting of all, a new Planet of the Apes movie. There's so much to look forward to. Before we get ahead of ourselves, I have a December update for all you lovely people. Thank you so much for partnering with me in ministry! Christmas Parties     Top: At the final TNF, the cores compete against each other to turn one member each into a Human Christmas Tree. Our core didn't place in the top 3, but we won in my heart. Also, nobody got the memo that the party was disco themed so I look very out of place! Middle: Some members of the two Frisco guys' cores get together for a Friendsgiving (OK technically not a Christmas party but same same). Dang, Andrew's dad makes the best homemade barbecue sauce! Bottom: The Collin FOCUS staff got together for b

He took him outside and said,  “Look up at the sky and count the stars —if indeed you can count them.”  Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring   be.” Abram believed the  Lord , and he credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:5-6 Hello, friends!     What do you call a bear with eight arms? Octobear.     What do you call a joke with November as it's punchline? It doesn't exist.     That's right, November's over, so now it's time for my monthly ministry update! I meant to give an update for October early this month, but now I might as well update on both months at once. Thank you so much for praying for me and supporting God's agenda on the college campus. He's been at work since the beginning and up to this day building little temples out of people and filling them up with his Spirit, making children for Abraham. One day, if you can believe it, we will be like the stars in the sky in quantity and quality. Core: Top: Andrew, Ugo, and Nick at the F

O   Lord , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. Psalm 8:1-2 Hello, friends!      If it were up to me, September would be month 7. But I don't make the rules. I do make disciples, though. Here's an update on the ministry of the 9th month of our year. Thank you so much for supporting and praying for me! Core is the Central Middly Part of our Ministry: Top: a picture of our third week's core Bottom: guys from core take a picture at Andy's Frozen Custard to make me feel jealous that I wasn't there      I suppose our core started in August, not September, but now I have pictures. We like to say that core is the core of our ministry, because it is true. It's too easy for a disciple to become siloed off in a single discipleship relationship. I know that it's easy for me to think t

Find out what pleases the Lord. -Ephesians 5:10 Hello, friends!      If you're new to my support team, welcome! If you've read (or just looked at the pretty pictures in) several of my update blogs, welcome back! It's time for my recap blog for August. Thanks so much for being part of God's blessing me, and God's blessing the students on campus. New School Year: Alex wanted an awkward "first day of class" picture, and whether you wanted it or not, now you get it too. This semester, I'm taking just one class (Intro to Humanities) in order to be considered a student and get access to areas like the campus gym and campus events. I chose this humanities class based off the recommendation of one of Focus' student leaders, who told me it's a great class to openly discuss religion. I asked many local establishments for donations in preparation for Welcome Week. I was blown away with how many that were so generous! This is a thank-you note to Starbucks,