"I never thought I would find something like this"

It’s been an eventful month for FOCUS, and I want to update y’all on some of the exciting things happening!

First off, I cannot stop raving about our NCTC Bible study. What God is doing there is just so sweet and amazing. Every week for the past couple of weeks, new students have joined us—without us even having to do outreach! We hold our study in the middle of the common area on campus, and students walking by have been asking if they can join. We’ve grown from just a handful of students at the beginning of the semester to a consistent 12-14 each week. We can’t even find tables big enough to seat us all! God is so good!

And it’s not just about the numbers—it’s about the hunger these students have for God’s Word, their willingness to be vulnerable right from the start, and the way they’ve already begun building friendships outside of our weekly meetings. One student told me last night that he never thought he’d find a group like this at a community college. He said that since joining, his faith has been revitalized, and he’s been reading Scripture every day. Another student shared that he had been struggling with thoughts of suicide but, after joining the group and having conversations with me and other students, he hasn’t had those thoughts in weeks. I can’t stop praising God for how powerfully the Spirit is moving at NCTC!

Last weekend, we held our semesterly Pizza Theology, and this time, the topic was money. The event was encouraging in so many ways. First, over 400 students showed up to listen to four hours of teaching on what the Bible says about money—what a blessing! Even more exciting was hearing how many of them left with a new perspective on how to approach their finances. Some felt challenged to be more generous, looking for ways to support their peers and serve their communities. For others, the main takeaway was learning to be content with what they have and to steward their money rather than letting it control them. I’m praying that Pizza Theology set these students up to be faithful stewards—not just in college, but for the rest of their lives—so they can use their money as God calls them to, rather than as they see fit in their own eyes.

At our weekly fellowship nights in Denton, we just wrapped up our sermon series on Identity and Idolatry, and I think it went so well! After that, we held a Black History Month service that some of our students organized, and it was absolutely impactful. The night was filled with gospel worship, testimonies, dances, and so much more. One of the most encouraging parts for me was hearing students share how they had finally found a community where they felt like they belonged, rather than being pushed to the side. Several also talked about how FOCUS has become more diverse over their years in college and how meaningful that has been for them.

A surprisingly powerful moment that night came when a fire alarm went off in the middle of worship, forcing us to evacuate. I know that doesn’t sound encouraging, but as we stood outside in the 30-degree weather, our students started singing worship songs right there in the middle of campus. I wish I had a video—it was one of the most beautiful moments of the semester. A fire alarm and freezing temperatures weren’t enough to stop these students from worshiping their Lord!

God is doing incredible things on these campuses, and I hope you’re as encouraged as I am! There are so many more stories I could share, but I’ll leave it at this for now. Thank you for your generosity and support!