Tania's Ministry Blog at Collin College

  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

  Fullness of Joy  Another month has come and gone! Although February is the shortest month, there was no shortage of blessings that were encountered! Thank you for the ways you have responded to the invitation to join in on this ministry that God is doing! Getting to share these wonderful moments with you makes me giddy! I hope this month's blog post encourages you to know that God is truly stirring the hearts and minds of young adults to experience Him deeper.  Love Experienced Through Fellowship Gatherings  February kicked off with out apprenticeship group hosting our monthly Sabbath dinner. Though participating in these monthly dinners takes additional planning, they truly teach me about God's heart for fellowship. This group of friends has been a source of mutual encouragement. Friendships don't happen by accident. Our dinners have helped me to remember that we need each other to recall the rest that God calls us into. Rest can look like fellowship with food, belly lau

  A Very Joyful January I'll praise 'cause You're sovereign, praise 'cause You reign Praise 'cause You rose and defeated the grave I'll praise 'cause You're faithful, praise 'cause You're true Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than You As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to Praise the Lord, oh my soul I won't be quiet, my God is alive So how could I keep it inside? (I gotta) Praise the Lord, oh my soul These lyrics from Elevation Worship's song Praise was the anthem of our annual Winter Retreat. In listening and singing these lyrics, it entered my heart how wonderful it is to have this opportunity to proclaim this news about who our good God is. Not only that, but hearing this echoed in the voices of 500+ college students made it all the more incredible! So for this month's blog, I want to share some way the Lord has been on the move and how your support has been instrumental in the furthering of these anthem

  December's Gifts    Hello! Welcome to another monthly ministry update! I hope you and your loved ones had a very Merry Christmas!  This December has been filled with many more moments of slowing down and reflecting on the year and semester that has passed. In the process, I have been deeply moved by the many kind gifts God has provided. Your support has been such a gift this semester and I am deeply thankful for your partnership in ministry!  While entering into December, my small group and I got to do a joint reading plan on Advent. It was so neat getting to study about the deeper meaning and implications of God's incarnation with students! Here are a few of there takeaways from different days: "It is through the strength of Christ that I can share his glory and story." - Briana  "I can't find peace in anything other than the Lord. When I put God at the forefront of my life and make Him my first priority, I will experience a peace that surpasses any other