Spring is Here---Danielle's March Update

Every year we send a group of our most promising leaders to the Student Institute of Campus Ministry in Bellingham, Washington. This is an opportunity for our students to learn the tools to be disciple-makers on their campuses and for the rest of their lives. This May we are sending over 100 students across all of our ministries, 18 of which are from Denton! To help our students afford this trip we host a fundraiser concert in the spring and you are all invited!

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Matinee Show: Doors open at 2:30 pm; Show begins at 3:00 pm

Art Show: 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Evening Show: Show begins at 7:00 pm

Bent Tree Bible Fellowship Church, Bent Tree Family Theater

4141 International Pkwy, Carrollton, TX 75007

We will have TWO shows this year so you can attend the one that works best for your schedule! Don't forget about the art sale in between, showcasing our most talented student artists. Tickets are $20 and you can purchase them here: anyfocus.org/showcase. 

This month's student testimony is very special to me, as my husband Matt has been discipling this student for years. We love him and are so thankful that God has done some amazing work in his life! 

"When I was growing up, I was too afraid, timid and shy to make many friends. My parents encouraged me to join the swim team in high school, and I finally found a group of consistent friends there. That time brought a lot of confusion about my own sexuality. My attempts to figure out my own sexuality caused me to have a selfish outlook on those friendships. I had a group of friends that I was grateful for, but I still never experienced deep and true relationships. My main goal as I began college was to make new friends. During my first week at UNT, Pedro Paz befriended me and started to build a relationship with me while introducing me to the FOCUS community. My desire to find friends kept me coming back to different FOCUS events, and I began to see God work in my life. Even though I didn’t know Him at the time, God was chasing after me. I saw myself start to change as I obtained a new understanding of friendship and sexuality. I saw God use people like Matt Clark, who was shy like me, to impact hundreds of people. God taught me how to be expressive while still using my quiet nature as a tool for discipleship. I have friends that have sacrificed so much to help me through my struggles. God’s love shone through these people and I was able to see that my own desires, deriving from my sexuality, would not bring the joy I searched for. I realized that I was searching for love, but God was always with me. He offers the most intimate and greatest love."

Devin Rardin

University of North Texas
Journalism
Junior

Thank you for reading and for your generous support of our ministry. We get to be a part of neat stories like this because of your kindness! Thank you again. 

With love, 

Danielle