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June Update!


Summer is here!

I am blown away that I have made it through my fourth year of campus ministry. Thank you guys so much for supporting me all this time. Wow. It seriously amazes me. Your support has allowed me to bring Jesus to college students in DFW. Thank you for investing in consistency on the campus. I have seen the fruit in choosing to commit to staying over years. I have gotten to invest in girls through their graduation. Isn't that crazy? Jessica graduated!!! 

I am in awe that we get to do this together. Thank you for seeing the value in investing in college students. My hope is that these students will make Jesus Lord and change their workplaces, future families, and the church. I really believe our students leave FOCUS equipped. I sincerely, want to thank you. 

Anyways, May was awesome. Graham finished his apprenticeship. He is officially a FOCUS pastor. That's exciting. He is committing for three years, so we will continue working together. We both had the opportunity to go up to Seattle for our annual leadership training, SICM (Student Institute of Campus Ministry). It had been three years since we last went. Thanks, Covid. Our students were ecstatic to go. This is where our potential leaders get training in how to lead small groups, learn about spiritual friendships and get a crash course on campus evangelism. They actually reach out at Western Washington University! Our students left feeling empowered. They are excited to take what they've learned into next year! 

I got to stay with some students from UTA with our amazing host home! The Ardts are a family which we became immediately obsessed with. They love playing games. We taught them how to play spoons. I did not know my UTA ladies were so competitive with spoons. Our host brothers got really into it. It became their goal to beat one of my students, Laurel, at spoons. She is seriously sneaky at that game. Staying in a host home is one of my favorite parts of the trip. I love connecting with our brothers and sisters in Christ up in Washington. I loved hearing our host family's story and who God has made them to be. 



Spoons... It was intense. 

I mean seriously, how can you not just adore this family? They took us in and treated us like their own. It was such a blast. 

We had lunch in this beautiful park. This was one of the few days it wasn't rainy. 

Here is Graham doing his thing: climbing everything. 

Here's Laurel and I by a bush near the Canada border. 

Here's Zoe and I by a cool wall in Seattle.


Here's Shayla, Sandra, and I on an impromptu visit to Mt. Baker. I was living my best Pacific Northeast life. The woods looked magical. 

Thank you so much for your support of ministry. The month was full of joy and learning more about God's character. He has made some beautiful places: Washington is definitely one of them. 

Romans 1:20

 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.


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