David's June and July Update

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing
into this world, and we can bring nothing out of it...
...put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment. Command them to do good,
to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
1 Timothy 6:6-7,17b-18

Hello, friends!

    It's time for my recap blog for June! In real time, August starts tomorrow, so this blog will also be an update for July as well. The verse above for this blog was a good reminder to me that God provides me with everything for enjoyment. Not only does he provide material wealth, but also relational, emotional, spiritual, etc. Because you've been praying for me and supporting my ministry, much of God's gifts come through you, the one reading this! I have deeply enjoyed your partnership with me. And to multiply my joy, I am free to re-gift to the students in my ministry and really all my neighbors. Let's see some of what God's gifts have done!

Collin Staff:


Top: The Collin Focus Staff members attempt to play Pickle Ball. We were all winners that day.

Bottom: Kevin and I go to Pedro's house to become better ministers and definitely don't get distracted by Pedro's baby.

    Some of the Collin Focus Staff from the previous school year have moved to different campuses, or to different ministries (We'll miss you, Renee, Katherine, and Orion!) and we are preparing to add five (wow, five!) new apprentices to the team in August. That meant that during the summer, the six of us got to spend a little more time together in special planning meetings as well as just having fun. When students in the ministry rotate so quickly, which is just the nature of community college, it's important to develop strong staff relationships. I'm very grateful for the relationships within our team. I really do love them. Please pray that we would take the opportunities to grow closer still, and that we would welcome and accept the new apprentices likewise. May our relationships reflect the Triune God's love! "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples..."

Bible Boot Camp:







First five pictures: Various days/locations of Bible Boot Camp. Did you see Santa dropping by one? As one student noted, he is in fact a saint.

Bottom picture: A map that I made to figure out where to host the Bible Boot Camps. Each green smiley represents one student that filled out an interest form during Summer TNF. Unfortunately, one student got cut in half and the halves were in different cities. They're still smiling though!

    When I was a student in Focus, one of the most life-changing events I participated in was something called Bible Boot Camp. We read 1/3 of the Old Testament in a week. That's 6-7 hours of reading each day! It was life changing because for the first time I saw God in the OT for who he was: patient and kind and forgiving. It's too easy to read just one chapter and be confused or angered. Take a step back, and the mural pops into a discernible image. 
    This summer, I got to organize the same experience for our students across all of our campuses. There were to be two weeks of Bible Boot Camp, one for the OT in early summer, one for the NT in mid-summer. Unfortunately, the OT week was a bit of a flop, though some students still came and were impacted; God still worked. After making some adjustments, the NT week was more attended. Two students told me it was their first time reading the Bible at all (we read Ephesians), a third told me it was his first time reading anything more than a paragraph (we read John's Gospel), and another who was already familiar with scripture kept saying, "wow, this is beautiful" while we read (various books). 
    Bible Boot Camp, and any opportunity to get students direct exposure to Scripture, is near and dear to my heart.

Alex, me, and Shayna:


Top: Alex and I have a picnic in a field outside our apartment a couple weeks before we move out.

Bottom: After moving in with Alex's parents, I teach Panther the Cat to walk on two legs. He has mixed feelings about it.

    Alex and I moved in with her parents in order to save money and to get help raising Shayna. As another upside, I get to live super close to the Collin Frisco Campus, where I'll be doing most of my ministry (instead of the Wylie Campus). Alex's family has been so amazing and sweet and encouraging to us! Pray that we could be a blessing to them as much as they are to us.
    Shayna and Alex are both incredibly healthy! We're now in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. We can't wait to meet our daughter face to face, instead of just mystery limb to stomach.

Extra Pictures, without context:








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