WOW! We have been so busy that I haven't had much time to even blog a/b the semester that's now almost over already! This Fall has been adjustment in some ways, but SUCH a blessing in others! Our numbers have grown significantly @ LIFELINE each Thurs. night on campus and we feel very blessed that the Lord has grown our group. The students represent such a wide variety of personalities, backgrounds, ethnicities, talents, etc.
Our worship/praise team has expanded and we now have 2 groups that rotate every couple of weeks. We now have several guys who are MORE than capable to handle any audio/video function for the group. ...BOTH are definitely talents that goes unnoticed any many churches and ministries these days. We are thankful for them and we could never say it enough!
Patrick asked for some of our local churches to get more involved in this ministry that they already support this sem. as well. Therefore, a few churches have stepped up by helping prepare a meal (or 2) for our Thurs. night meetings. They have been DELICIOUS to say the least! And, our students cherish getting to eat a home-cooked meal for a change too! It's looking like it might not be possible for next semester due to the weekly cost, but we sure are thankful for what's been provided so far. We also have 2 beautiful women from our church here in Springdale who prepare the food every other wk. that a church hasn't brought it. They always go above and beyond and we are appreciative! There truly are no words to describe what they sacrifice each wk. to make it possible.
Since Patrick loves to "mix it up" each and every week, we have done LOTS of different themed nights and activities this semester. We did another "Destination Unknown" Thurs. night recently where the students don't know where they're being taken or what's been planned. Patrick taught several weeks in a row on Biblical dating and relationships. One of the students prepared and taught a lesson one wk. We had a guest speaker one Thurs. night who's a local missionary in town. And of course we've participated in some awesome extracurricular activities too! Late nights, flag football around campus, movie night on Old Main lawn, college lunches @ church once a month, football watch parties, a scavenger hunt around town (leaving out after a HOG watch party @ our house), and even more. We just had our Christmas party last night on campus since the students will be deep in final exams next wk., and it was so great! When I upload all of the pictures from the evening, I'll be sure to post them on here of course.
Kennedy has loved getting to know all of the new students as well (as most of you can easily imagine)! She memorizes their names without us ever working on them @ home, asks to see them @ random moments during the day, and "talks to them" on her phone ALL the time. They love on her and Will, and we love watching them on the floor playing w/ our kids. It's a beautiful thing that we wouldn't trade for anything!
Thank you Lord for bringing this ministry into our lives and thank you for bringing the group to where it is today. Please continue to grow our group in our faith and in our relationships. Show us what your good and perfect will is for MBSF and the direction you want Patrick to lead this group in. We love you so much!
Watching the HOGS play
Just some of the food the students brought to the house...SO healthy! Ha!
Playing dress-up w/ Mallory (or ON Mallory, really)
A pretty common occurrence w/ our group
"20 person conga line" accomplished @ a random, local restaurant during the scav. hunt
...inside joke
"Rowing on dry land" (part of the scav. hunt as well)
Part of the group:
Bowling night after LIFELINE one evening (those who weren't doing homework) : )
Skit team in our new room up on campus
Another f.b. watch party @ some students' apartment
Playing w/ the kiddos
One of the meetings earlier in the semester when we were meeting in the outdoor pavilion
"Change of location" one night due to the tornado warnings and sirens sounding around campus...Satan was working overtime that night, but it ended up being one of the greatest nights of the sem.
No comments:
Post a Comment