A Child Is Born (Welcome Lucy) and Winter Retreat

Hello Everybody,

I can't wait to introduce you all to Hayli and I's first child, Lucy Ann Gage.

I couldn't be more proud to be her dad, she's beautiful and strong and as far as I can tell, a great personality. Although that last one is still a little hard to read. I am continually struck by the immensity of God's grace for me, and for Hayli. Why either of us would be given such a gift is beyond understanding. I wept when I first held her, floored by the tangible reality of God's grace and mercy held in my hands.

I can't wait to get to know her, but also to have the opportunity to play a role in the shaping and upbringing of another daughter of God. Hayli and I have been praying for a while now that Lucy would be a woman of peace, that she would be a light to the world around her, and that she would be wise beyond measure. Please continue to pray for her and for us as we do our best to help her to know and follow the Lord.

Lucy was born on December 17th 2023. Sorry it's been a month between blog updates, but sleep exhaustion is real. But in the awake moments, when I have the time and energy to look around and see, God has been so good to us. Through financial provision from ministry partners like you, Hayli and I both will be able to continue in our jobs and work as we will be able to afford child care for Lucy.

And through our families and church community, we have had an abundance of food and emotional support. I can't wait to introduce Lucy to more and more members of the community that God has placed us in. I get so excited thinking about all the wonderful people of God that will play a role in shaping Lucy's heart, and mind. From our church family, to fun and goofy and sweet college students, eager to hold a baby or play with a toddler as she grows.

Thank you for making a way for Hayli and I to have a child and for me to continue working on the college campus raising up disciples of Jesus. Speaking of disciples on the college campus, we just had our winter retreat. 400 college students learning every day about God's love for them, and being surrounded by campus pastors and peers ready to help them pursue God more deeply, and look more like Jesus in their relationships with others. I know that God will use that time to change hearts and lives for himself and his Kingdom. Thank you for your investment in the next generation!

Comments

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

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

SICM, Staff Retreat, and Start of the Semester

Hello friends and partners in ministry, The summer is over! We are back into the full swing of things, and I got to tell you. God is good and I am so excited for what is to come in just the next few weeks of campus ministry. This last week we got to have our staff retreat in Bridgeport, Texas. The goal of staff retreat is to collectively as a team of ministers recenter ourselves on Jesus and his work in the world, reflect on why we do what we do, and spend time together relationally. Pictured below is our UTA Campus Missionary Team for 2021-2022. From left to right we have Jalen, Graham, Myself, Bailey, Emily, Sophie, Taylor, Emily, and Sarah. Myself, Jalen, Taylor, Emily, and Sarah are our returning campus ministers, while Sophie, Graham, Emily, and Bailey are our apprentices for this school year. If you don't know what an apprentice is, these are recent graduates from the ministry who are either interested in vocational ministry long term or just want to spend a year learning a

Austin's FOCUS Ministry Blog

Search This Blog