July Update!

Hello World!

I thought you guys would excuse my blog entry being later this month. Our lives have changed recently. Bonnie is here. She came earlier than expected, but she is healthy and adjusting to life outside the womb. Graham and I have felt so incredibly supported during this life change. We are praising God often and praying for his strength as we navigate the late nights with our new roommate.

Leading up to Bonnie's birth, I was taking full advantage of the restful nature of summer. I napped. I went to the pool with students. Thought I would maybe get a tan in preparation for the baby... even though I don't really tan. We finished our staff book club. I hosted an after event for our weekly service. I did what I could as a very pregnant lady. It feels surreal to now be starting my maternity leave. I will be soaking up these precious early weeks with Bonnie until my twelve weeks are up.

Graham is back to work, but thankfully, he has a reduced schedule because of the summer. Our UTA team has begun planning for the fall semester. Graham and the rest of our team are inviting students to lead and planning welcome week events. My hope is that I will not be a stranger when school starts. I plan to swing by different indoor events and show off Bonnie.

Pray for us as we navigate parenthood. Pray for Graham as he goes back to work. Pray for the semester starting and all the new students we will meet. Pray for me as I sit back during our most exciting season. Pray over our student leaders and for their boldness. Pray for the continued safety and health of our little girl. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. They mean the world.

Photos from this month:

Here's a photo from the after event I planned. We had a challenge of students writing a poem from zany prompts we gave. It was one of the many challenges our students competed at.

This is a photo of our dear friend Hailey introducing Waldo to Bonnie's blanket and hat. My heart melted seeing him lay his head on her stuff.

Our first walk around the hospital.

Here is a view of our summer service.

Comments

August Update!

This update is full of prayer requests and news! Let’s get started. I just got back from our summer staff retreat with our entire staff team. One of the key parts I want to underline is: we have not had our entire staff together on a retreat since my apprentice year. Our staff has boomed in size because we are taking on nineteen apprentices this year. Nineteen. It’s exciting to experience a surge of new people and to see our team grow. I had a strange moment during the retreat where I realized some of these apprentices were students when I started back in 2018. Now, I get to partner with them in reaching our campuses this fall. I guess that’s what happens the longer you work at a place. One of the most exciting updates I have is that we will be pioneering five new campuses this fall. Each team is focusing on a different campus. One thing that has blown me away during my time in FOCUS is how the Lord has worked on community college campuses. I remember visiting a Colli...

May Update!!

Greetings! Hello team. I have delayed writing this update. I believe that is because anytime I sat to write, a wave of nostalgia and grief came over me. My time with FOCUS has been the vehicle of all my favorite things about my life. It was my first job out of college. FOCUS is where I was raised up into a mature leader through multiple opportunities like seminary classes and many books. I met my husband and had a baby while doing this ministry. I have had the privilege of befriending and mentoring many students; some of whom have become pastors themselves. These are just a few of the blessings I have lived while working with FOCUS. Your generosity and your care for college students made these beautiful things possible. I hope you see this transition as a celebration of life and ministry. Thank you for all your kind words and ways you guys have personally connected with me in this time. Thank you for seeing the college campus as something worth investing in for the kingdom. ...

April Update!

Our 2024-2025 UTA Leader Team!!! We have five more weeks to go! March flew by. Did it for you? This past month was jam packed with small groups, people getting discipled and many students making decisions to follow Jesus more closely. This is the time of year where the rubber meets the road for many students. There's just something in the air. People know they have little time left before summer. It's the perfect time to encourage someone, or challenge them. I know for myself and all my other pastors, we are in the thick of those conversations. Be praying that students make decisions that will help them walk more closely with Christ. Pray that the summer won't rob these students of what they've learned this year in ministry. I want to start by saying thank you for supporting me in campus missions. I wanted to share a big life update with you all. At the end of May, I’ll be transitioning off FOCUS staff. This decision has come after a lot of prayer and thoughtful conve...

Emily's Ministry Updates

Search This Blog