Tania's Ministry Blog at Collin College

  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, be...

  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 othe...

  Gratitude Galore  It is incredibly difficult to believe that yet another month of ministry has wrapped, but what a wonder this one has been! There were a lot of group activities this month that made it such a joy. In reflecting back, I can't help but be filled with a deep sense of thankfulness for the ways the Lord has used your partnership to make it possible to serve students in experiencing God's pursuit of them!  Pizza Theology  One of my favorite events that FOCUS hosts each semester is Pizza Theology! This semester's Pizza Theo did not fall anywhere short of impactful. This semester, we had the privilege of having Professor of Old Testament theology at Regent College, Iain Provan, come all the way down to Dallas to discuss his new book, Cuckoos in Our Nest: Truth and Lies about Being Human. After talking with students, a few big takeaways I noticed for them included a further trust that the Scriptures are authoritative for their lives, that humans are here to...

  Hello Friends and Family! I want to start with a scriptural meditation that God has kept brining to me this past month. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end ; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23 God's mercies really have been so sweet to experience this month and his love has been clearly evident. Your generous support has been part of God's mercies to me and he has been doing wonderful things in the lives of the students here at Collin! It has been so sweet to get to ponder on the faithfulness of Christ and how he uses people to spread his fragrance. Reading Through Philippians  In our small group this month, we were able to read through and study the book of Philippians. As we read this short, but rich book, we were able to explore and be challenged on topics such as contentment in the face of adversity, humility, service, spiritual goals, accountability, prayer, rejoicing, and a...

September comes with a change of season as the hotter summer weather begins to fade and autumn arrives. Traditionally, autumn is often known as the harvest season. In campus ministry, though, September is our planting season. It has been such a joy to get to participate in the Spirit's call to do the good work of cultivating hearts and minds. I am so excited to share how God has been on the move in the lives of students at Collin College and how your prayers and support are making it possible! Core  I can not express enough how blown away I am by the young women in my core (small group)! As I mentioned in my blog from August, the Collin staff and students welcomed students to campus during their first week of classes. Many of the students we met during the first week of classes, have been so faithful and hungry to learn about Jesus and to participate in community! This group of women have exhibited such a great desire for friendship with each other! I think God has a way of honorin...

  The Beginning Hi friends and family! Welcome to my ministry blog!  August arrived marking the start of my apprenticeship with FOCUS!  Although only a few weeks have gone by, it has already been full of exciting events and sweet moments of communion with God. I have often been left teary eyed as gratitude has swelled in me for this opportunity to spend the next 10 months serving college students and building a deeper foundational understanding of scripture. I am so thrilled to share how God is already at work and how your partnership is building up the Kingdom of Heaven at Collin College. Hitting the Ground Running The apprenticeship officially started July 31st and we hit the ground running! The first week consisted of the team of apprentices gathering together to start our graduate level course of the introduction to the Old Testament. Over the course of the first few days, we read through the first five books of the Hebrew Scripture (AKA the Pentateuch), listening to ...