December Update

    Hey Everyone! I hope y'all had a great Christmas and New Year, I definitely did. Even though December winds down the semester of ministry there are still so many things I want to share with you. Before jumping in I want to thank you all so much for making what I'm about to share possible. I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it, I cannot believe that this is my job! Daily I am blown away and so thankful for y'all. I am passionate about what God is doing at UTA and honored to be partners you in the powerful work God is doing at UTA and in the lives of college students.

    Going back to the beginning of the month, one of our outreach events this month was called "Conversations and Cocoa". We got together one morning at the beginning of finals week and handed out hot cocoa to students while asking them if they had any spiritual questions they wanted to ask or talk about. We were able to have a neat array of conversations. I talked to a girl named Bobbie who asked "What happens when we die?" I  shared my thoughts and asked why she asked that. She responded by sharing that she likes to ask intense questions right off the bat to get a gauge for how people respond. She seemed ok with how we responded, she spent the next thirty minutes talking with our student leaders like friends and expressed interested in joining my core, so stay tuned. Who knows you might see her in my updates next semester. I'm proud of all our students and student leaders who consistently make time to listen to and care for students like Bobbie on our campus. Join me in praying that our students continue to grow in living a life style of evangelism. If you like praying by name, the students in the picture are (L to R; back to front) Morgan and Emily at the back, Juli and Loren in the middle, and Ryan and Tevon at the front.

    Also towards the beginning of the month we had our last meeting with our student leaders for the semester! This is a picture from that, they are some of my best friends and favorite people. I love these students and I am so honored to get to work along side such an earnest, thoughtful, and fun group of people. Join me in praying that this break refreshes them and they are able to come back excited and empowered to continue doing ministry on our campus.

    This a picture from my last core of the semester. We spent our time together encouraging each girl in the room, about ways we have seen them grow, why we love/are thankful for them, etc... I originally asked that 3-4 girls share per person but as we got going it was impossible to contain it to only 3-4 encouragements. They were all excited to share encouragements with each other. What a good problem to have, I was blown away by how the girls expressed the care for one another, it brought me (and the whole room) to tears a couple times. What a kind and sweet gift God has given me in these girls. Join me in praying for McKendry, Ashlie, Cassidy, Molly, Nichole, Shayla, Vivian, Jazlyn, Mia, Breana, and Lizzy that they continue to come to love and know God deeper as the year goes on. 

The last thing I want to catch you up on is that Vivian got baptized last Monday! I haven't formally 'introduced' y'all to her yet but consider this your introduction! Vivian is kind, wise, and very tender hearted, I am so proud of her and excited at her decision to follow Jesus for the rest of her life. Vivian asked her Mom to read Matthew 28:18-20 at her baptism. "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." I am so proud of Vivian for deciding to follow Jesus, and so thankful for a good and kind God who promises to be with us. Praise God for new life and thank y'all for all you do to make the deliverance of this new life possible! 

I wanted to leave y'all with some fun pics :) 

To the left is a picture of when I took a quick trip to New York with Emily Spencer and Sarah on our UTA team!  Below is a picture of part of my core that was at our end of year Christmas party. 

This month was a sweet end to semester that can't help but leave me excited for what next semester will bring. Praise God for the work that he did and is doing, and thank you for your partnership. I hope the reach of your impact is not lost on you! I love you all, and I am so thankful for you. 

Until next month, 

Sophie