Tania's Ministry Blog at Collin College

August   Hey Friends! I am sitting here writing this blog and am welling up with gratitude to God for what He's done this month. Before I begin sharing, I want to say a big thank you to you all for being part of this story of redemption that God is working out here at Collin! The Lord has continued to remind me of His faithfulness to pursue and His own heart as a servant.  Staff Retreat  August kicked off with one of my favorite experiences - staff retreat! Our FOCUS staff got to spend time together in prayer, worship and fellowshipped as we prepared our hearts to meet students as the school year starts. I loved getting to spend quality time with my Collin team, especially with my girly - Luna!  Summer Celebrations  This August has looked like a lot of quality time with the friends! Our small group from last school year had one final core hang before the summer ended. We got to spend time celebrating four August birthdays, celebrating Elaina's new start at Central Oklahoma Univ

  Jubilant July  Hello everyone!  When May rolled around, I had a feeling the summer would come and go in a flash, it seems that it has done just that! As I sit and reflect on the month of July, I can't help but feel gratitude bubble up inside.  This month has been a reminder of the gift of community, but also the realization that community doesn't happen on accident. Thank you for contributing to the building up of a Christ-centered community of college students here in DFW!  Something that has felt so special this summer has been the opportunity to connect with my fellow campus ministers! To have such co-workers who are dedicated to loving God and helping others love Him, has been such a tremendous gift. It makes me think of Paul and his how highly he would speak of his fellow co-workers. As Christians refer to each other as brothers and sisters and this summer this has become so real to me. At the end of the month, I am actually going to be moving in with my co-workers and f

  June Update:  Hello, friends! I hope you all are having a great summer so far!!  With the semester having come to an end, June has been a time of slowing, connecting, and recharging. Through it all, God's faithfulness has continued to stand out to me. Cultivating a rhythm of rest has reminded me a lot of God's invitation to Israel to honor the Sabbath. This looks like trusting that God can sustain us even when we aren't spinning the wheel at the same pace we normal do in the busier seasons. It has reminded me of Psalm 46:10 which says, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." This brings me great relief. When life gets slower, it can be tempting to think that God isn't being magnified, but there is comfort in knowing that God remains exalted even as we are still.  This summer has also provided the opportunity to spend quality time with students in ways that I don't typically get to throughou

  Reflection and Renewal Hello, Friends! I hope you all are doing well and are enjoying the end of this Spring Season! This month has been bursting to the seems of God's goodness. It's been a month full of reflections, celebrations and renewal. I remember preparing to write my first blog at the start of the apprenticeship and being so uncertain of how the year would go, but as I consider the last 10 months, I have to grin a goofy grin because God has been so kind, your generosity has been so felt, and students have been so transformed! Your steadfast support and investment in the lives of college students to know God and experience authentic friendships have been such a blessing - thank you!  Sabbath Retreat Our staff is required to take a half-day Sabbath retreat each semester. The bustle of this second semester really got to me and I waited until nearly the last minute to plan. I was able to take a Friday morning to be with Jesus in one of my favorite settings : nature! My fa

April in Full Bloom  Hi Everyone! So glad you made it back to another ministry update! I am thrilled to share what God has been doing this month.  In preparing for this blog, I am reminded of John's words in his first epistle-  We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy! - 1 John 1:3-4 (MSG)  I have been reflecting on the gift that it is to get to have encounters with God and how much of a blessing it is to get to share that witness with others. I join in with John in saying that communion with the Father and his Son have been experienced in so many special ways.  Thank you for being part of this ministry and investing in the opportunities for college students to commune with Jesus!  Impact Week  As I mentioned in my blog from March, we had a week of impact in March.

   A Multitude of Grace  Hello friends! It's that time of month again! March seems to have gone by in a blur, but as I sit down to reflect deeper on it, I am marked by how rich in grace it has been. Our God is full of goodness and his kindness has not been far off.  This month, in our New Testament class, we have read several of Paul's epistles. What has stood out to me in his letters to the different Christian communities has been the overflow of Paul's gratitude toward his friends and partners in ministry. I read these epistle introductions in a new light as I think of my own depth of gratitude for your partnership in the ministry of spreading the aroma of the gospel at Collin College. Philippians 1:4-6  especially stood out to me -  "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your underst