April Update

 

From our Open House!

It's the end of the year and I am so sad! We have a lot of people transitioning away from our Denton Focus ministry. Which is obviously a good thing because that means that people are graduating! My selfish heart wants them to stay in Denton forever. We have something like 30 seniors graduating! Two of our staff are transitioning off the pastor team, one to another campus and one to do missions. That is pretty bittersweet as well. Prayers for our ministry as we are in flux. We have four apprentices coming to Denton next year which will be a lot of fun. I look forward to new ideas and all that God has in store next year. 

We have our end of year party this next week and then we move into a season of fundraising and summer TNF. I'm excited for the change of pace but sad about the lack of consistency. I trust that God will be present with me as he always does. Please pray for my fundraising and if you know anyone who would be interested in hearing more about campus ministry, let me know. I'm about $500 a month from my goal. So I'm close and hopeful! My hope is to continue to get in a good place to have another child. 

We've been going through a sermon series on Mark this last half of the semester and I got to preach on Mark 4:35-6:6. And I wanted to share a little reflection with you! 

Mark 4:35-41 NIV

[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!”

When we look at the world and see brokenness, we ask God, don't you care? And the answer is yes. He does. He cares so much. Do you believe it? Or do you think you care more than God? When we are people who really rest in Gods goodness, knowing where we're headed(see revelation), we can become people who rest and are at peace in the midst of life's storms. We can be like Jesus, taking comfort that it is all in someone's more than capable hands. 

Life isn't without storms. We don't get stormless seas in our life. I think that distinction is pretty important in our faith. We expect the unexpected. Christianity is not a refuge from the uncertainties and insecurities of this world. There are no safe places in life, we can only find comfort in Jesus, the one who is bigger than the things that trouble us. Bigger than death, bigger than our discomfort, bigger than the storms. 

I pray you can find comfort in the God who is with us in the storms.