October 2024 - Fall Camp!

 

Richland Fall Camp!

October Ministry Update!

Hey Friends, Family & Prayer Warriors!

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and for your ongoing love and support! Your prayers, encouragement, wisdom, and presence in my life make this all possible!

When you think back on your young adult years, what pivotal, turning-point moments come to mind?

One of the most potent memories that comes to my mind is going to Fall Camp with FOCUS as a freshman at UNT. With it being my first time living away from home and navigating faith & friendships on my own, Fall Camp was a major turning point for me. It was a weekend that revealed my desperate need for community if my faith was going to withstand my years in college. After Fall Camp, I committed to joining a small group with FOCUS and so much of my growth happened in that weekly time with those girls.

Because of my own experience, Fall Camp is something that makes me very emotional. I see this as such a big deal as a launching pad for student's spiritual growth. It is a chance for them to build bonds and make long-lasting memories in a space centered on Jesus.

During Fall Camp we played big group games & sports, hiked worhsipped around the camp fire together, and did a deep dive into the story of Jesus's encounter with the Samiratan woman at a well (John 4).  

Fall Camp Highlights:

• One of our students moved from California to Texas for college. She is very new to following God and is unpacking a lot of trauma from her childhood. It is her first semester in FOCUS, but she was so impacted by her time here so far that she bought her 15-year-old brother a plane ticket to come experience FOCUS and go to Fall Camp!  This is a COLLEGE STUDENT on a very limited budget and she chooses to use most of her money to bring her brother out for this! 
• It was her brother's first time experiencing a Christina community and going to a spiritual retreat like this. He said that he wants to start learning more about Jesus and investing in a relationship with him even as he goes back to California! PRAISE GOD!!  
• Through the story of the Samaritan woman engaging with Jesus, one of the students realized that Jesus does not pursue people who are perfect, but transforms people who keep getting caught in harmful patterns just like her. She realized that even with a dark past, Jesus wants a relationship wtih her!! 

I am blown away by what God did over that weekend and what He is continuing to do as we continue meet together weekly. 

Prayer Requests:

• Pray that the rapid growth we see in so many of these students develops into deep, long-lasting roots and maturity. We want to see life-long disciples, not a short-lived spiritual high!
  
• Pray for students who are encountering a lot of internal barriers to being part of Christian community (feeling like they don't belong, feeling like their past/present is too broken, etc.). I want them to encounter the all-consuming love of Jesus!

Love you guys so much! Thank you for all that you do!

Veronica

Richland Girls at Fall Camp!

Some of the sweet faces of our Richland Girls!!

Campfire worhsip at Fall Camp!