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Fall Camp 2022

 We just got back from Fall Camp 2022, and it was definitely one for the books.

We had around 85 students come and join us for a weekend retreat about 30 minutes away from campus. While there was a lot of fun and games and snacks, which are incredibly important to any college ministry event there were also times of praise, worship, sermons, and spiritual reflection and prayer. I think it was the latter, rather than the former this year that had the largest impact on these students. During one of the evening sessions we had 8 stations that students could attend and spend time engaging with God. The students could read a psalm and learn how its structured, and then write out a psalm in their own words. Or students could reflect on various pieces of art that have come into being throughout church history and just reflect with God on his character. They could learn the prayer of examen practice which is to reflect on your day and ask God to reveal to you things you've missed about ways that he was working. And also students could just go for a walk n talk with God. I don't think it's often that students will make the time to just go spend an hour in uninterrupted prayer and conversation with God and I think a lot of our students found that practice really meaningful and something that they can take into their own life with God even apart from fall camp. 
Every year in fall camp our students come back grateful that they attended because they feel closer to God and more connected to the wider FOCUS community. One student in particular who felt this way is Vincent.
Vincent is an international student that has really found a home in america here in this community. He is a serious disciple of Jesus, even though he is only 18 years old he has a hunger for God and for his word. Graham, one of our first year campus pastors has really befriended Vincent so well and now vincent is sharing in front of our community about ways that he already sees focus as a place worth belonging to and investing in. Thank you for providing a space for people like Vincent.

Also present at fall camp this year was our TCC campuses. This is the core from TCC SE. TCC stands for Tarrant County College. We got planted there last year and it is so cool to see how some of these students have really caught the vision and are eager to make Jesus known in their classes and in their relationships with their peers. Nick, the young man holding the chickfila cup is already saying that one day he wants to be a campus pastor so that he can provide a place for other students to come and experience the love and Jesus centered friendship that he has experience here. I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be here to invest in guys like Nick.

Also please seriously read the student testimony below, Ben Erickson is a guy who I get to meet with every week and I couldn't be more proud of how he is letting God direct his life. Thank you again, hope to talk to you again soon.

In Christ,
Austin











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