Ending as a Beginning

 Happy 2022 everyone!


I am so grateful to be entering this new year with you guys. This past month was full of wrapping things up (😉) and I reflected on how the closure of one can often be a start to another. As you all went through the holiday season and as you start this new year, I pray that God meets you in both your endings and your beginnings. Here are some of the ways we wrapped up last month:

Our students at Collin got to celebrate Christmas together in true Collin fashion. We worshipped and reflected about Jesus together, ate lots of queso, and built Christmas forts. Each core had one hour to plan and execute their fort, and my core came up with the theme, "There's No Place like Gnome for the Holidays." While we didn't win, we did get an honorable mention, so I'm pretty proud. It was a sweet night to see all the students who have been impacted by Jesus and His body in some way or another from all the Collin campuses (we are at all 4 this year!) As we concluded the fall semester, we looked forward as a community as to all that God has in store for this spring semester. I am stoked to watch God work!


Another end in some way is that 2 of the girls in my core that I study Focus on Jesus (FOJ) with graduated! Caroline and CeCe have already shared wanting to continue growing and serving with us even as they figure out what the next year holds for them. I am proud of both of them for seeking to follow the Lord's will, and continuing to be involved with our community. Over the entirety of the semester, I have seen Jesus become their priority. Both of them have considered the other campuses that FOCUS is planted at as a way to continue their pursuit of the Kingdom. I am thankful that I get to spend time with them for at least another semester. 

 This is CeCe!




This is Caroline!


I also finished up my fall semester with some of the Apprentice classes ending. I finished my Old Testament class, which is definitely an example of the "end" being a beginning. Being able to learn about and engage with the Old Testament was such a special part of this last semester. Understanding the narratives and themes and context of the Old Testament will continue to help my relationship with the Lord deepen but also be such a helpful tool in ministry. At the end of the fall and spring semester, each apprentice gets to preach a sermon based off of a prompt given. Our prompt this time around was, "This is my Gospel." We all got to share what Jesus has done in our life, and what He continues to do in and amount us. It was such a blessing to see how many new beginnings Jesus has given to those around me. 


Here is a snapshot of us through the stream that played our sermons!


I would love to know some of y'alls goals for this upcoming year, and how I can be praying for you as you follow Him this year. Looking forward to the second half of this apprenticeship with this team!

Love always,

Renee 












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