Good Good Summer

Our ministry came up with a plan to have in-person TNF small group. The students were very grateful to meet in person for the first time.

Hey friends! Hope all of you are enjoying this summer season and staying cool. Somehow, summer in July is always hotter in Texas than June. I saw this meme that describes Texas summer and thought it was super funny!

As the summer comes to a close, reflect on how God has blessed you this season. I think it's so easy for us to focus on the negative things around us and not look at the good things God has blessed us with that we should be grateful for. I'm thankful every time I get to spend time with my Lord, who teaches me, befriends me, and loves me every day, and that's so restful to me. One thing he's teaching me this year is one word, "patience."

Why Patience?

I can be very impatient when I make mistakes or want to see improvement in myself and it's taking a long time or being anxious to know what my plans and future will look like, and I have to trust God. I feel like I want God to be on the same page with me and run by my terms, and that's autonomy. The good news is God is SO PATIENT with me when I act selfishly! He's patient because that is who He is. We hear and read that a lot in the Bible. In Exodus, God says, “I am the Lord God. I am merciful and very patient with my people” (Exodus 34:6). Even Peter knows how patient God is: "the Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Please be praying for me this year in patience with myself, students I minister to this year, and with God. Be praying for our ministry to be patient this coming school year with COVID happening as it will be a different year for us. 

Questions to reflect:

In what area of your life are you struggling to demonstrate patience? Is there a particular person or situation(s) you find it challenging to be patient?

Our last summer, TNF of the year met at the Garland church. 

This is my friend Van. Van and I met together one on one over the summer reading scripture, sharing good news, and praying for each other. I cherish his friendship and his heart to love people well. Pray for Van this year, searching for opportunities to serve our community as Christ served his people.

I enjoyed getting one on one time with my friend Collin this summer. Collin will be serving our campus this year as a corefa at the Preston Ridge campus. I cannot wait for what God has in store for him. Pray for Collin this year in preparation for what it looks like to be a disciple through this pandemic.

I love this girl! This summer with Caitlin is a big highlight for me. I enjoy being around and doing life with her as we laugh, learn together about God, and how we can honor the Lord through our relationship. She looks for opportunities to serve and encourage me, and I'm super thankful for her. I love her a ton!

Looking Forward

With school campuses opening back up, there are mixtures of excitement, fear, uncertainty, expectations, and hope in our community. I lean towards excitement and eagerness to meet new students this year. All Collin campuses will be opening, and student life has prepared different outreach events at each campus for students to connect during welcome week. That's SO AWESOME! I was reflecting over the book of Philippians 1:27-30, the life worthy of the gospel.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

[27] Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel [28] without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. [29] For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, [30] since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

 

Paul's words really challenged and encouraged me on what his real purpose of living for Christ looks like. He calls the church of Philippi in steadfastness in their faith when chaos is surrounding them. While Paul was imprisoned writing this letter, he wasn't sure if he would be executed by the Romans or be released from his cell. What is astounding is Paul is content where he was at and continues to put his faith in Jesus with all the chaos going on around him. If Paul were to be in our current pandemic time, I surely believe he would repeat that first sentence to the church. "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." This is a scary and weird time of a virus that we're trying to protect people from, and I'm not a scientist to understand how to create a vaccine that will save the lives of others. But I do have the faith that Christ is with me to strengthen a mere human who has flaws to share the living words of Jesus that will save millions of people to live for eternity. I cannot pass or turn down this mission, which has saved me from my old ways of destruction. Fear is what holds people back from moving forward...and I do not fear what is ahead of me. I ask you, what concerns do you have that keeps you from living God's mission? I love you guys and I look forward to catching up with you.