September 2025 - God's Faithful Pursuit

 Hello friends, family, prayer warriors, and faithful supporters!!

I am so unbelievably grateful for each of you. Thank you for being on this journey with me and for taking the time to read through the updates of what's going on and how you can be praying!

Something that has encouraged me lately is considering the lengths to which God goes to pursue people. Through getting to hear the individual stories of so many students and what brought them to this moment in time, I am struck by how unique each story is, yet God has uniquely met them and revealed Himself to in a way they would be receptive to. No two stories are the same. 

Take, for example, the girls in our small group who have been coming together to read scripture and learn more about Jesus! Here is a picture of most of us:

Some of the stories represented in this picture include: 

- Growing up in an abusive household and graduating high school early to escape it. When this 16 year old moved onto campus a month ago, she found herself on a parking garage at night, praying and asking God for some sort of sign. She had no prior knowledge of God, but needed hope. As she was praying, one of the students from our ministry saw her and after talking for a bit, invited her to come to our ministry. She describes that moment as an "invitation sent from God" and while she is a bit overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity and newness of the Bible and the worship service, she is committed to keep showing up and exploring why God brought her here.

- Growing up with a mom in and out of jail, going into foster care, and eventually being adopted at age 10 by a family from the church she occasionally went to. Now in her second year of college, she has been processing and facing childhood trauma; her increasingly deepening relationship with God is an anchor and light within the darkness.

- Going to a strict Catholic boarding school in Nigeria, she has a lot of devotion to God, but also fear. She is learning a lot about God's character through the "I am" statements found in John - particularly Jesus as our Good Shepherd, seeking us when we wander and lovingly bringing us home. 

- With Nepali immigrant parents, she grew up in a Hindu household. She joined our ministry for a social event we hosted during the first week of school and felt so loved that she kept coming back! She accepted my invitation to study the Bible together one-on-one and has already expressed a deep interest in following Jesus! In the last month, she has read the whole Gospels accounts by John and Matthew.

There really is so much to share! If you'd like to hear more of these stories, let's have a phone call or get coffee! God is seriously on the move on this campus and in the hearts of these women.

And I could not be part of their journeys without the investment and support of all of you! Thank you guys for partnering with me as I partner with God to guide these young women in their pursuit of Jesus!

Here are some more photos from this past month:

One of the new freshmen in our ministry, Tati!

Back in 2015, I led a group of 5th graders at a summer camp with our church (picture on the right). 10 years later, Trinity and I are reconnected at UTA where she is a student and leading a Bible student among her peers with our ministry! I am so encouraged by how God has continued to mature her these last 10 years (but we were laughing about how much the height difference stayed the same!)

Every Friday, I do a lunch on campus to cultivate community and invite new people in! Every week different women show up, it's always a good time!

Another student I knew from years back and reconnected with at UTA college ministry! When I met her 5 years ago, she was unsure of if she wanted to follow God at all, but now she has such a rooted faith. Again, I am struck by God's goodness and faithfulness in pursuing people!

Precious and I lead the women's small group together! She is a nursing student at UTA which makes her life so busy, but she is making time to serve and lead regardless! So proud of her and thankful for our friendship!

I love seeing Essence's desire to know God grow each week. Through her grandma growing up, some friends in high school, and coming across the FOCUS table on campus, God has been pursuing her and planting seeds in her heart for a while now. Thankful to get to study scripture with her one-on-one each week!

On a personal note, my husband Kazayet and I got to spend some amazing quality time this month with Josh & Mandi, the couple who mentored and counseled us before marriage. They have been such a blessing to us!

And also, I am in the middle of training for my first marathon! God willing, I hope to run one in December!


Thank you for reading! Please be praying for each of the girls mentioned to continue to their pursuit Jesus, the One who has been pursuing them all along.
Much love, Veronica