One Week Until I Get To Be A Dad, and Christmas with College Students

Mauricio rarely smiles in pictures but he's a joyous guy, and this last weekend was his birthday. A collection of people from FOCUS and our church got together to celebrate him and play soccer, his favorite game, at River Legacy Park. It was a perfect day, and I was so thankful Mauricio got to experience a community of people who love him like Jesus loves him.

Isaac and Jacob up front are brothers and Isaac (who is holding Jacob) had just won a full scholarship to winter retreat because he had memorized scripture verses all throughout the semester and successfully recited them to me before every TNF. Every verse memorized was an entry into a raffle. I'm glad he won, because I know that God will use winter retreat to continue to help form him spiritually and become a better friend to others as he and interacts and learns and worships together with 400 + college students from all across the metroplex.

From left to right: Austen, Luke, Blaine, Carson, Alan, and Garrett at our recent FOCUS Christmas party. Getting to know Austen more this semester has been a treat. (Who would've thought we would have so much in common?) Austen loves disc golf and this year he has been wanting to learn so much about Jesus. He's one of our most consistent guys to core and TNF and he is now studying the bible one on one with one of our core leaders and is coming with great questions!

From left to right: Chris, Manny, Kamal, Jay, Jared, Alphonse, Vincent, and Hart. A few weeks ago Chris and Manny said that this year in FOCUS has been the best year of their lives. When I asked them why, they said that they're learning about God and making such good friends. I'm thankful that you provide a place for them to come and experience that!

Vincent, Josh, and Hart are three of our student leaders this year! They all ask heartfelt and insightful questions whenever I get together with them, whether it's how to love God with not just your head, but also your heart, or how our identity is not rooted in our appearance but in God's love for us, or how to date in a way that results in healthy, God honoring relationships, these men are growing into mature disciples of Jesus who are rooted in His purposes for their lives. I can't thank you enough for your investment in them.

Hayli is 39 weeks pregnant! We are one week away from meeting our first daughter, Lucy. I know she will be beautiful and loved by many, but most of all by Hayli, myself, and her father in heaven.

Thank you for helping us to have a home where we can raise her to know the Lord and to resemble him to others, and please pray for us as we move into this new chapter of our lives. Pictures coming soon, I'm sure! Don't forget to check out the student testimony below.

In Christ,

Austin

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More Winter Retreat and Lucy Update!

The fruit of winter retreat is evident! God really used that time to bond our guys together and point them more collectively towards following Jesus. Since winter retreat we have been able to identify several guys that we are excited to invite to be leaders next year in the ministry from Austen, to Josh, to Manny, to Chris (who's testimony is below) God is raising up young men who are eager to not only know Him but to share him with their peers. I couldn't be more grateful for you who helps to make that kind of heart transformation possible! One of our core groups, led by Ian and Crew has been in a particularly healthy place. These guys look forward to spending time together, reading God's word, praying for one another, and sharing their lives. Here they are hanging out an arcade together recently. But every week they are learning about Jesus together and growing as disciples! Speaking of Growing, Lucy is getting bigger. This photo above was from her first wedding recentl

Learning From the Wise

Dear Friends, Thank you for taking the time to read this ministry update. This winter season has been particularly encouraging and I am excited to tell you about what is coming up soon! The month of December began with a celebration. The school semester was coming to a close quickly so we threw our annual Focus Christmas party in the first week of the month. Talk about Christmas come early. The event was filled with sweet memories, worship, and funny skits put on by the various weekly core groups. Watching those skits is always a highlight of the year as everyone in the core often participates and everyone gets to see each others silly sides. A couple of guys at the UTA Focus Christmas Party. In the bottom picture, one of the roommates couldn't make the event so the rest of the guys thoughtfully chose to find a way to include him in the picture, no matter what. Once the semester was over and the students went home for the holidays, I had a lot of time to read. Over the

Disciple Means Student

Two of the things that I have been most grateful for in the last month is the fact that God gifts us with so much fun in this life, and secondly, how God blesses us by giving us the ability to learn. At our online TNF's we have been hosting after events for our students where we try to do something that helps everyone feel connected. At one of our most recent after events we decided to host "show and tell" where everyone finds one or two objects that they are most proud of owning or they consider to be the most interesting thing they own. It was such a blast to see what the students loved and wanted to show off. In the bottom right Taylor Bass, one of our student leaders, was showing off the set of armor that he and some friends had crafted from cardboard. And 2 blocks above him Nathan Baugh, another one of our student leaders, shows off his autographed pictures of Ariana Grande that he got when he was in middle school. It was so sweet to laugh with those in attendance

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