August Update!

 Hey y'all!! Let me update you on the absolute craziest month of August. Since my last blog, I have been to a student leadership conference, attended my first theology course, and experienced welcome week on UTA campus. 

The leadership conference is called SICM, and this stands for Student Institute of Campus Ministry. This was a 6 day adventure down in the Texas hillcountry. We learned a ton about being on mission for God and reaching people of every nation and tongue. I personally loved how our student leaders experienced this right before we went back to school, so they could be incredibly encouraged to be bold and meet people at all of our events. When we weren't in lectures, there were fun activities to be a part of: swimming in the river, hiking around the side of a mountain, ziplining, and blob jumping into the river. Here are some pictures of our time there! 

On our way to our student leadership conference!

We went on a narrow hike around this mountain,
and it got dark half way though!

As for Welcome Week, that was a wild ride. Welcome week is the week before the first day of college for freshman. Because students didn't have this last year, everyone and their mother were on campus this past week. UTA put on some incredible events, and it was such a blessing getting to be a part of it all. Our goal for Focus was to go out, be on campus most of the week, be bold, make friends, tell these new friends about Focus, and invite them to our events. This was no simple task, but I truly believe that God empowered each of us to go further than we ever thought we could on our own. So many people were met and reached out to. 

I have so many encouraging stories about this past week, but I'll keep it down to 2 stories. The first is about a girl a met named Brianna. One night, Focus had rented out the park in the middle of campus, and we were playing a lot of lawn games with people. It got pretty loud, and Brianna was in her dorm room and literally heard the laughter and shouting from the park, so she came to inspect. I met her and she called her roommate, Alina, to come join because of all the fun she was having. I've seen Bri and her roomie all around campus, and they are super excited to join my core (it's a smaller fellowship group night of girls)! Another story is about a girl named Kit. Kit was invited to one of our lawn game nights from another friend of mine. I was getting her number, and she saw my phone's homescreen was a drawing of a favorite book character of mine. We had so much to talk about in that moment, and she ended up going to Braums with me and some other friends that night. I've gotten to chat and hang out with her since, and I can genuinely say she is a new friend of mine. She told me she felt very welcomed and included, and she's looking forward to Focus starting up!

This was after a massive welcome week event. Three of us gals tried to
be the "T" for UTA!

We had a petting zoo as one of
our events, and this is my new
friend Hank! 

Prayer Requests:

Honestly, I am SO SO thankful for all of your prayers! I know God used them to do some incredible things this month. Here are some things that would be wonderful for you to pray about!

1. Continued prayer for these girls hearts, and that they may experience a true and deep relationship with Jesus this year.

2. Strength for myself and my team. I'm learning a lot of behind the scenes in the Focus ministry, and it's a lot. God really does provide and direct us well, and we continue to pray that we stay focused on Him in all that we do. 

3. If you could continue to pray for doors to be opened and lives to be changed. None of this is of our own strength, and we each have a deep heart for college students. Pray that seeds are continued to be sown. 

As always, y'all are absolute rockstars! Let me know how I can continue to pray for you and your families! 

With Joy and Peace,

Emily