Halfway!

Happy new year! Here are some observations...
1. I'm currently sitting about two feet away from this space heater from the '80s that periodically makes the electricity in my apartment shut off. It's so worth it because it's negative degrees outside if you're calculating it in Celsius!
2. The holidays are most definitely over but I'm still listening to Christmas music.
3. I am officially more than halfway done with my Apprenticeship. What?! Time has flown by and it's  super bitter sweet!

I'm eager to begin another semester and hopeful for what God will do. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and got to spend some restful and purposeful time with family and friends. I had such a great end to the year, and I’m excited to tell you about it!

Our Apprentice Christmas party! We did secret Santa :)

I’ll start off with the most recent thing, staff retreat! All of us on FOCUS staff caravanned to Burnet, TX to spend some time preparing for the coming semester. We spent time worshipping God together, playing, enjoying yummy meals, and growing closer to one another before the busyness of another semester. We also spent time discussing a book together. During our break, we read The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning. This ministered to me so much and I highly recommend you pick it up! Every day a different staff person lead us in a discussion of a specific idea that Manning talks about. These conversations were truly life-giving to me and made me so excited to continue to invest in my relationship with our kind God, and made me even more eager to go out and do His work on campus!

One of my favorite parts from that book was when Manning was reflecting on how much he wants to be able to present himself as worthy before God. He says “I still struggle to let go of the preposterous pretense that my paltry prayers, knowledge of Scripture, spiritual insights, tithing to the poor, and blustering successes in ministry endear me to God’s eyes. I resist the saving truth that I am loveable simply and solely because He loves me.” I loved this and I feel like this is something that God has been re-teaching me throughout my entire Apprenticeship. At the end of the semester, the Apprentices get to give a sermon to the rest of FOCUS staff with the subject “My Gospel”. An idea I talked about was the fact that God has told me specific things about Himself and how He views me, why would He have told me those things if they were not the truth? And it is true that He loves us, He’s the one who enables us to come before Him, and He died for us and loved us at our very worst. That’s so cool! I’m thankful that God has put this truth on my mind and is teaching me more about Himself!

Lastly, I wanted to talk about this month’s student testimony. Chiazo is one of my dearest friends, and her story is so encouraging to me. Her friendship has had such an impact on my life, and I know God will continue to use her obedient and loving heart to do His work. Thank you so much for investing in students like Chiazo through your investment in this community. I’m reminded more and more every day at what a special opportunity I have to work as a minister this year. I couldn’t do it without you all!

Click here to enlarge this photo if you're having a hard time reading it :)

One last thing, we've got our annual Winter Camp coming up on the 13-16th of this month. I'll talk about it more in depth in my next blog, but just know it's the BEST. It's such a fun time for our students and staff! Please pray that the students that come would encounter Jesus as they never have before. Please also pray that God would receive all the glory for all the good that will come from this camp. I'm so excited for our students to experience it!

Love you so much,
Hannah

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Core Cookie decorating... This picture is awkward but sweet, kinda like our Core

I got to dress up as a snowman for a Christmas party in New Orleans! It's a long story...

Preston Ridge students at our "Awkward Family Photos" Christmas Party

Exam week outreach at Preston Ridge!