Students at our UTD Fall Camp |
Last year, some crazy weather issues prevented us from having an event like Fall Camp. This year, we are especially grateful that God answered our prayers with comfortable temperatures and plenty of sunshine!
Group games at camp led by Ana (foreground, left) and Autumn (foreground, right) |
Some of our beautiful UTD girls. From left to right: Layla, Kimberly, Racquel, and Savannah |
Christians (along with Jews) have long been referred to as "people of the book." It is because of that book, the Bible, that our faith has endured and been passed down through generations. That book is a collection of letters, poems, visions, and stories that tell the broader story of God's interaction with His people. That book offers up simple truths that can be easily digested and understood by a casual reader, but it also contains deep mysteries that demand careful interpretation and study. I believe that to truly live up to our title of people of the book, we must take the Bible seriously enough to study it and allow it to change our minds and our lives. Reading an excerpt as a daily devotional may serve to remind the believer of the foundations which he has already been taught, but the casual reader will miss out on the rich complexity that demonstrates the sophistication and devotion of the original writers of scripture. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
I am excited this month to begin that type of study with a new friend, Wei. She was born in China and moved here to the US in January for graduate studies in Marketing. A Christian family opened their home to her upon her arrival and hosted her until she found an apartment and got settled in to her new life. From them and other Christians they introduced her to, she learned that there is a God who loves her and a Jesus who wants to save her. Now, I have the honor of studying the Bible with Wei and showing her more about who that Jesus really is. During our first meeting, we looked over the table of contents in her Bible, and I told her about all the different types of literature there and the long history found within those pages. She thanked me and said that she was very grateful to have someone to help her, because she had tried to read the Bible on her own but struggled to make sense of what she was reading. Please pray for Wei as I continue to meet with her and encourage her to follow Jesus.
I want to thank each of you who prays for me or for our Focus students, and each of you who donates regularly to support our staff. You are a blessing from God. In the words of Paul to the Philippians, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
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