Midway through January Winter Break was over and our students returned! I had been thankful for the time that I had got to experience with my family and with some old friends over the break but I was so beyond ready to get together once again with the students that God has placed in our care and just glorify Him again together in our songs, and in our friendships, and in our lives. Which is why I was so glad when Winter Camp rolled around!
Each one of these guys is getting met with, studied scripture with, and getting discipled one on one every week either by myself or one of our student leaders and that fills my heart with so much Joy. I will never stop praising God for the changes that he is creating in these young mens hearts as they begin to learn to lay down their lives and love one another as Christ has loved them. But I really believe that this weekend is a fuel on that fire. A lot of these guys are pretty reserved, quiet dudes. That is their nature to some degree. But I really believe the Holy Spirit worked in these guys lives this week to set them free from that. A lot of them are more comfortable cracking jokes, greeting one another with a hug upon entering a room, and asking each other questions about their lives and how they can be an encouragement to one another. The week after small group one of our guy cores had a core night and during the core decided to sing some songs together in worship to God. I was in my room writing a report at the time, but when I heard them singing I went out to record because hearing these inhibited guys singing loudly to our Lord in praise was too encouraging to miss.
It is difficult to make out faces but that is over 600 college students gathered together in one place to learn more about being the people of God. About being adopted into the family of God, being temples of the Holy Spirit, and being ambassadors of Christ. Winter Camp is a 4 day event when all of the different campuses of focus go together out to a retreat center called Sky Ranch in Van, Texas. We spend 4 days eating meals together, playing games together, worshiping together and learning together. The end result is often the same. Hundreds of college students who not only come out of their shells and make deep friendships with others around the DFW campus but who also begin to understand the call for all of us to be disciples of Christ. They begin to understand the role that community should play in the life of a believer. And they begin to accept that they are dearly loved and forgiven by our father above in Christ. The picture above shows all of the students in attendance from the 9 different campuses that God has allowed us as a ministry to operate on. The pictures below are of just our UTA students.
The atmosphere of our ministries change every year after winter camp. Our students become more willing to share their lives with one another. Our students develop a hunger for continued growth in their relationship with God and they come back with a deep sense of belonging to a community of fellow believers who deeply care for them and who also desire to invite them into the mission of making disciples of the world for God's glory. I am ecstatic about each one of the students who got to attend and grow together over that period, but my heart was mostly touched by the group of guys from UTA who came and who were impacted.
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| From top left to bottom right this is Brock, Cole, Brady, Bryan, Emmanuel, Ivan, Truett, Peter, Matt, Brandon, JB, Myself, Jacob, Cody, Jared, and Daniel. |
Each one of these guys is getting met with, studied scripture with, and getting discipled one on one every week either by myself or one of our student leaders and that fills my heart with so much Joy. I will never stop praising God for the changes that he is creating in these young mens hearts as they begin to learn to lay down their lives and love one another as Christ has loved them. But I really believe that this weekend is a fuel on that fire. A lot of these guys are pretty reserved, quiet dudes. That is their nature to some degree. But I really believe the Holy Spirit worked in these guys lives this week to set them free from that. A lot of them are more comfortable cracking jokes, greeting one another with a hug upon entering a room, and asking each other questions about their lives and how they can be an encouragement to one another. The week after small group one of our guy cores had a core night and during the core decided to sing some songs together in worship to God. I was in my room writing a report at the time, but when I heard them singing I went out to record because hearing these inhibited guys singing loudly to our Lord in praise was too encouraging to miss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6qr_hwrkx4
Since Winter Camp we have gotten back into the swing of things! I'm meeting up regularly with the guys in our ministry and am continuously encouraged by the ways I see God working in their hearts. I wouldn't get to meet with these guys if it weren't for you. I believe God called me to this campus and into ministry but it is because of your generosity and faithfulness that I get to speak Christ into the lives of these students. If you are reading this and you have the time we are having an open house this Saturday at 5PM at UTA in University Hall 121. The open house is for anyone who wants to know more about what God is doing in our ministry. You can come and hear testimonies from our students and from parents who's families have been impacted by their students involvement in college ministry. I'd really encourage you to come out and hear for yourself if you have the time! I love you all and I thank God for you in my prayers. God is doing amazing things every day in the lives of so many here at UTA and all over. Praise God for that!
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