July blog!

 Hi friends and family! The summer has flown by so quickly, but has been a great one! I hope yours has been restful and fun as well!

                                                                    Summer FOCUS!

One of my favorite parts of summer as I likely mentioned before is getting to be with all of our DFW college campuses worshipping and fellowshipping with all of our students! It has been a great summer of deep heart level, challenging and truth-filled sermons, a wonderful time meeting new students, and just looking around getting to see what God has done in many of the lives of those around me. Also to see how God has been faithful to each of our college campuses and allowing students to know Him more deeply.

If you would like to listen to these sermons that we had throughout the summer and hear more about our Promises of God theme, the link is here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/79dZvAQimaIt2g5mrHRpcI?si=j-xr1pphTR6GBYz_qo9q4w

Lots of summer birthdays!

I've gone to many birthday parties this summer, but I loved this one in particular. I hosted a brunch for one of our students, her name is Kadie (very center back row). She was in my small group last year, and we just asked her to become a student leader for this next school year which will be her senior year! This year, I'll be having a bit more responsibility on our staff and will be leading whats called a peer team. This is basically a small group for our student leaders. Instead of just leading one on one bible studies, which I'll still do some of, I will primarily be thinking and praying through different content to go over in meetings with my group of student leaders that I'll be leading. A lot of it will be centered on leadership development, one of our main ministry models, and just deeper and intimate discipleship so that our students can learn what it looks like to lead spiritually not just in campus ministry but  even after college, so they can be an impact in all areas of life. Seeking to bring Jesus to all those around them in the workplace, friendships, roommates, family etc. Kadie will be in my peer team this year, and we're already pretty close friends so I look forward to seeing what God will do in her life this year up close as we will be meeting together weekly!

Staff girls day trip!

Our staff is growing by three new people this next year! We brought on three new apprentices (interns) Hannah Edwards (direct left of me), Hannah Winkler (direct right of me), and Casey Hopper (not  pictured). Especially for the women on our staff, we wanted to make them feel connected and to have the chance to start getting to know us. We drove out to Terrell for Ham Orchards, and then out to Tyler where we were hosted by Shayla's in laws! (Shayla is wearing the pink bag around her). Her mother in law was so kind to open her home, prepare a very nice meal, and let us just have time to bond. We also got to swim and hangout! It was a great day, and I'm looking forward to working with all of them as the year starts up in about two weeks!

Summer staff meetings!

Throughout the school year, we meet once a month for staff meeting, at our main church building in Garland. Over the summer, we meet every other week. We typically discuss different campus wide topics such as new things we want to implement, or we will do discussion questions in groups. Something I really enjoy that we do is book reports. I wanted to share a quote pictured in the photo from one of the latest book reports led by Austin who is a pastor at our UTA campus. He led us through the book titled: King Jesus Gospel by Scot Mcknight. The book was over how we should make sure we are incorporating the same gospel that those from the early church would have been, and challenging us in ways that our modern christian context has strayed from in some ways. I love that in our ministry one of our values is striving for depth in our knowledge of Christ and learning. Since working for FOCUS, I have had many perspective shifts, and areas of my faith revealed that I didn't even consider before. Outside of these staff meetings, every year our staff has book clubs, where you're paired up with different teams and assigned a book to go through together as another way of highlighting the value of in depth learning. Last year I wasn't in one since all first years take a Christian History course, so this year I will get to be apart of one, and I look forward to being stretched in my faith even more!

Student testimony!

Further prayer requests:

-That in coming students would have a softened heart and open to what God wants to do with their year

-For those who have not had good experiences in the church to have a fresh vision for what healthy christian community is, and that they would desire to be connected

-Consistency for those students who have heard of our ministry, and that they would continue to connect the whole year, not just for a few weeks, so that their whole year can be shaped by God's work in them

-For our staff on all our campuses to rely on God's strength as we enter one of the busiest times for campus ministers, trying to share our ministry with as many as we can 

-For our student leaders, especially the new ones to gain a deep heart for the lost students on our campus, and that they would choose to be intentional and faithful in all those they meet. As well as have a lasting excitement for Jesus and hold closely onto the spirit's power to sustain them and guide them in balancing their time throughout the year, and keeping Jesus at the center of their lives in all that they do

Thank you all for your continued support for the 24-25 school year. I look forward to have you all on mission alongside me for the 25-26 school year. It is so meaningful how generous each of you have been to allow me to continue working on these campuses.

Blessings & peace,

Keanna