START OF A SCHOOL YEAR!

These are our Corefas at Corefa Prep Day praying for our campuses as we approach welcome week!

I remember feeling disconnected and unfamiliar as I met some of these students through SOOT, our Summer One-on-One Training. Fortunately these students became like family due to our Corefa Prep Day and Welcome week, it allowed me to bond with many of these students. I can't help but feel excited for the work our Lord is currently doing in their lives!

Welcome week started and encouragements did too. This is a sweet note from my roommate Chiazo, I found Monday morning as I was looking for my lunchbox.

Girl in the blue is Jordy, one of our Corefa's, during one of our outreach events

This is Jordy's second year leading at Collin and so far I've been encouraged by her obedience to the Lord and willingness to learn. I've seen her constantly work on putting her personal preferences and insecurities on God in order to serve our community.

Our first TNF, Thursday Night Fellowship of the year. Cody introduced us into our sermon series for the semester "Do You Know The Man Jesus?"

These are my feet after being out in the sun during welcome week doing outreach. This night we ended playing volleyball with some of the students we met at Spring Creek. 

I texted this picture to one of my roommates (Chiazo) who responded with Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news". Initially I laughed and rolled my eyes but after letting that verse sink in I teared up. I reflected on the people God allowed me to cross paths with during welcome week and how worthwhile that was. These are the feet that turned around to sit with Sydney Zapata, a girl that walked into the Cougar Cafe looking for a table, alone. It was in that moment that I saw myself, freshman year at TWU in 2013 looking for a table at our cafeteria hoping that someone would invite me in. Sydney is joining my Friday night core, we are also meeting up one on one to start an FOJ, our Focus on Jesus study. Please pray for her and I as we continue to develop this friendship and seek God together.

This is me at the first UTD Focus Latinx Welcome Week event. Left to Right: Sandra she is in staff with Focus, Me, Maria an apprentice at UTD, Josh an apprentice at our Richland campus.

No you are not crazy, I am still placed at our Collin Campus but I could not help but support UTD Focus in this awesome opportunity. God is constantly reminding me of the neat opportunity I get to have in speaking another language, in being the minority in order to connect with students and potentially share about Jesus and his impact in my life. I am thrilled to say that I work for a ministry that sees the need for diversity in our campuses! 

This is our apprentice team (minus Alex, he is Jacy's husband). Jacy and Alex invited us over for a board game night and pizza before Welcome week! Left to Right: Austin, Alex, Mark, Jacy!

As promised, a picture with my roommates for the year! This is us at Cinnaholic Bakery. Left to Right top: Rachael and Sarah, Left to Right bottom: Me, Elizabeth and Chiazo!

These are some of my Denton friends who I had not seen in a while! Left to Right: Andrea, Mia, Chelsea and Me!

Roommates relaxing and enjoying the Labor Day weekend! Left to Right: Rachael, Me and Elizabeth!

This is Chiazo one of the biggest advocates/reasons why I have a place to live in Richardson. Here we are taking advantage of Labor Day morning. Please pray for Chiazo, she is currently in vocal rest.

Something that I've discovered over the years, especially now that I've transition into a new environment, is how much I enjoy quality time! I find that quality time makes me feel loved and replenished, therefore I purposefully set quality time with roommates, friends and people from our church community.

• Pray a prayer of thankfulness! I am one month in the apprenticeship and I have enjoyed every bit of it! It has truly been a fresh breath of air. I love my job! I wake up feeling excited to meet with students, staff, my fellow apprentices and get behind what God is already working on!
• Pray for our corefas as they plan their first small group of the year and begin investing in their new friends!
• Pray for our apprentices as we balance meeting with students, staff and our classes

Thank you for your support!