Trusting God

June 11, 2020

Trusting God

School is over! We have moved into a season of fundraising and prepping for the new year. I am glad for the slower pace that the summer has offered especially with my surgery (more on the surgery at the bottom). Fundraising has gone pretty good for so early in the year. I am about 69% of the way to my goal. I still haven't heard back from everyone yet but it is kind of a crazy season.

Our Last TNF of the Year

Our last TNF of the school year was bittersweet. It was strange not to meet in person but I was thankful to get to see faces. It is sad to think that for some people it's their last interaction with us but the friendships and the relationship they have built with Jesus still continues.

In one of our fundraising meetings, Sandra joined us twice

One of my favorite things about the summer is the interactions I get with pastors from our other campuses. We have fundraising meetings and book clubs where I get to see their faces. It is such a joy to be a part of such a team of people. Even though I am not able to see them face to face, I get to see where God is working in their lives.

One on one ministry is really interesting. It can be pretty hard for people to be isolated. I have noticed that there is a lot of discontent and sadness going around. I am noticing I am having to encourage and my students a lot more to be in the word and invest time in other people. I pray for these students and I thank you for your prayers as well. We aren't made to be in isolation. I have slowly been able to see people from a safe distance and it has dramatically improved my mood.

One of the girls in my peer team got married this last month

I have had the chance to meet some of the students who are transferring from Collin to one of our Denton Campuses this year. Getting to engage and build relationships is my favorite thing and it gets me excited for the upcoming school year. Even if we are isolated, God is still at work and moving. I pray that he prepares the student's hearts for what he wants to do in the fall.

I have been reading scripture semi-regularly with some of our potential leaders for next year

We have been Twitch Streaming our Summer Focus Service and I was able to share about the role of waiting in our personal faith. Which is something I have felt like God has been teaching me for a while. Waiting is an opportunity for us to choose to trust God and be okay with God's timing. Waiting and patience are not in my nature but God has changed that in me. We see the Israelites waiting for the promised land. We see metaphors of planting and growing, which are all long processes. Waiting is good for us. If there is something you are waiting for and losing hope on, I pray that you look back on your history with God and remember what he has done in your life. Ask God to reveal what he is teaching you in the waiting.

You can see my swollen gland right under my sideburns(this was at 5am before the surgery)

I wanted to talk a bit about my surgery too. Surgery was at 7:30 in the morning on the 28th of May. We had to arrive at the hospital at 6am. I was nervous but grateful that Drew was able to come in with me, even though he wasn't able to be with me outside the lobby. The surgery went as well as it could have gone. By 1pm that same day, I was at home. So rather than a swollen lymph node, like we originally thought, it was a swollen gland that had a tumor around it. They removed it and sent it in for testing. I should be getting the results back in the next week. As far as we know, it is most likely cancerous but we are unsure of what type it is. So the surgery could have removed all traces and we could be done, or I might need further treatment. I trust that God knows what he is doing and I am thankful for the closeness with him that I have gained in the process. God has blessed me with his peace through this whole process and I am healing well which I am thankful for. I have stopped taking medication for the pain and I am just waiting for the glue to come off.

Thank you for prayers amid this whole ordeal. I am so thankful for having such a strong support system.