First Day on the Job!

Hello friends and family!  Welcome to my ministry blog! I will be writing monthly updates to let you all know how God is working at UTD and to give you a close insight of what you are supporting.  I hope these blogs are encouraging to you each month!

August came with a lot of new beginnings, I graduated from UNT, moved to Garland and started working on the UTD campus as a missionary!  Transitioning has brought some mixed emotions and challenges as change is never easy.  However, I have loved getting to work for FOCUS and I am very thankful for this opportunity.  God changed the trajectory of my life with my involvement in FOCUS and I met my closest friends through this ministry! I am thrilled to be able to give back to this ministry. 

Here are a few sweet snapshots of a special moments I got to experience with my community throughout the years!

On August 1^st we started in full swing.  The entire UTD staff went on a retreat to get to know each other better and to plan for the upcoming year.  It was very encouraging and refreshing to spend a few days with my new team.  We also read a book In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen together. It discusses the three temptations in ministry: relevance, popularity and power.  This book helped us prepare our hearts as ministers heading into the semester.  Also in August, we do a thing called Welcome Week.  Everyday for the next two weeks there is an event that welcomes new freshman to the campus! We play board games with them, help them find classes, play sports and overall just try to befriend them and help make UTD their new home.  Meeting new students so far has been such a blessing.  As a freshman, moving to college can be very daunting so I very excited to try work with the UTD staff and students to try and help make their transition a little easier. 

This is the 2019-2020 UTD FOCUS staff! These men and women are truly incredible people who have a deep love for God and His people.  I am already so thankful for them!

Last weekend the UTD returning students and small group leaders gave up a lot of their free time to prepare for ministry this upcoming year. We prayed for the incoming students and learned how to lovingly minster to students on campus. These students are amazing and are so eager to be a light to their campus. I am excited to work with them!

Our staff and students spending time praying over the campus and the new students!

Lastly, I would like to thank each of you! If it were not for your generosity, I would not get to pursue this job.  Your partnership is ultimately helping build God’s kingdom!  Please let me know how I could be praying for you!

Ways you can pray

·       For the new students coming into UTD.  A lot of them leave their families and friends and can get lonely.  Please pray that these students are met with new loving friends

·       For our staff and students, that we are bold in reaching out to students and for positive attitudes so we can try to meet as many students as possible.

·       I am 75% fundraised! Praise God! I am still looking for about 250 dollars a month to fully meet my basic needs for the remainder of the ten months.  Please pray that I find the support.  If you know you would potentially be interested in supporting campus missions, please let me know!

With Thankfulness,

Erin Campbell