July Update

About a month until school starts! I am so excited to see what God is going to do this next year. We are in the process of figuring out our student leaders for this next year and I am excited for all the people who are agreeing to lead our community. Also we have an idea of what Welcome Week might look like, which is exciting. This summer has been a good break from the routine and it has made me eager to get back. 

Our Summer FOCUS gatherings!

I want to share something sweet God has done in our lives! We were able to buy a house thanks to a large gift courtesy of Drew’s grandparents! They had a vision for providing us with a house we can build a home in and bless students with, and we are so thankful for them and the opportunities this will provide. The house had 75 offers, and we didn’t even give the highest offer. The lady who owned it before us was a student at UNT at one point and had crosses around her house. I think God was looking out for us and was able to provided us with a house shortly after looking for one. Our house is close to UNT and has two living rooms so it will be a great place to host our students! I am excited about the prospect of being in Denton longer and am excited we were afforded the opportunity to do so. God has been generous to us, so we can continue to be generous to others. Them helping us buy a house also helps us be able to do campus ministry longer. I am so thankful for all the ways God continues to bless us. We are actually having a student live with us for a couple weeks and I am excited to get to do things like that in the future.

My friend Aileen was baptized!

Some other neat things to share! My parents got to meet my brother in San Antonio! I really enjoyed getting a longer time with Him and to know him more. I am excited to see what our relationship grows to be. Also Drew and I have been able to preach at Denton North Church! We are going through different gospel stories, and drawing out what we think the Lord wants us to share. Through writing my sermon Jesus calming the storm, I have been pointed back to how God has been with me during really difficult seasons. He doesn’t remove us from the storms, but is with us as we experience them and that is pretty powerful. We can look to find God in hardship and find him standing next to us. 

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

I’d suggest you spend some time in this scripture and reflect on these questions! Who is our God? Do I believe he has power over the storms? Do I need to call out to him? Where is he in my life now?

 

I hope you can be blessed by this like I am! Praying for your blessing but also that you see God when you experience storms!