February Update

Hi all.
This month has been an intense one for our ministry. Over the break, we had a lot of students just making some sinful decisions, and it has all been coming out slowly since we got back to school. I'm here to ask for your prayers.



In December, several students sinned and gradually confessed these things over the next few months. This has happened plenty of times before in college ministry, but it seemed to be more than usual. In response, the staff decided that we wanted to hit it with everything we've got. We're doing a sermon series on sin and confession, we talked about it in the leader meeting, we are having them lead small groups around the topic, and everyone is instructed to go through 1 John 1:5-10 with anyone who studies with them one-on-one, confessing their own sins and asking other people to do the same.



I do want to note, though, that we are not entirely discouraged. In any given group of college students, there are always students sinning in the areas of sex, alcohol, internet usage and more. So it's not at all shocking that that's true for a Christian community as well. In fact, if nobody ever talked about those things, it would be a good indication, not that they weren't happening, but that they were happening in secret. And in this Collin FOCUS community, these things are being confessed and brought into the light.


I do think hearts are changing. As a community, we've learned some key lessons.

- confessing means being vulnerable about what you're struggling with currently, not just what you've done in the past
- if someone confesses to you, your job is certainly to have love and grace for them, but also to challenge them on it and call them to a higher standard of Christian living
- true vulnerability and accountability means confessing even the small things: the thoughts and temptations, before they turn into actions

And people are taking these lessons to heart. The number of phone calls I've gotten from people asking advice and being vulnerable has dramatically increased in the last week. It has been an emotional season to be sure, but I really do think that God is moving and changing people.

In other news, I wanted to invite you to come visit us if you're interested! It says family night, but that really means open house. It's all of Collin FOCUS at the Spring Creek Campus and it will be at 7:30pm.



Please pray that God continues to convict, change hearts, heal brokenness,  and cleanse the students in Collin FOCUS; and come visit us! Love you all and thanks for caring about us.

- Abbie

My core at our Winter Retreat at Sky Ranch in January


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