The School Year Has Begun---Danielle's Ministry Update

Our Collin staff team just returned from a 3 day retreat to bond as a new team and prepare for the coming year. We read a book by Henri Nouwen called "In the Name of Jesus," a short but powerful look at the temptations that Christian leaders face while doing ministry. We have four new apprentices joining our team this year and we are so excited for the new personalities and fresh perspective they will bring! Our Collin team is now the largest it has ever been.  

Our 2019-2020 Collin Staff Team

Me with Jacy, an apprentice I'm supervising this year

We also spent time praying and planning for our student leaders this year and what groups they will be leading. We have 23 student leaders who have volunteered to help lead their peers through small group discussion and one-on-one Bible study. Please be in prayer for them as they prepare to get out of their comfort zones to reach as many as possible on the campus! School starts August 26th, so we will be meeting with our leaders to prepare them for what's ahead. Many of them are leading for the first time! 

As a side note, I wanted to share with you another neat experience I had in July. I attended our church's Teen Camp for the first time and I was absolutely blown away by the experience. God is working miracles and radically changing the lives of these teens! At first, I was very skeptical of the process and felt that maybe these teens were faking it or experiencing a "camp high." When we returned home though, so many of them were making huge changes and following through with the goals they set for themselves. One of the most amazing stories I saw at camp involved a girl who had been severely bullied. This big football player at her school had even told her to go kill herself. Well this boy ended up at camp (miraculously), and one evening the teens had the opportunity to confront people they had wronged. This young girl walked up to the boy that had bullied her and said, "I forgive you." At that moment, this big football player began to sob, embraced her, and apologized profusely for how he had treated her. That boy's life was changed right then and there. Praise our God for he is good!! 

Teen Camp 2019, photo cred: Jordyn Von Runnen

Thank you so much for investing in the lives of young people! They are the church of today and need people to believe in them. I'm so thankful to have a team like you behind them! 

With love, 

Danielle