Paul's Ministry Update!

 Guys and gals, God is so cool.  This month has been so fast, but in a good way. Of course, the goal is not to be rushed. I read this book over the summer called "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry". Ironically enough, it is a very quick read, but I highly recommend it. A line that has stayed with me this month goes that  "if the devil cannot make you sin, he'll make you busy. There's truth in that. Both sin and busyness have the exact same effect - they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul". Of course, this quote is not scripture, but it has helped me develop a mindset of being slow and interruptible, even during the quicker paced weeks, so that I can still listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide my conversations and actions.  With that in mind, God has been working this year at UTD in a way that I have not seen over the past four years being connected to this ministry. Students are SO hungry for community and spirit...

 Hello all! The New Year is here. It is officially 2025, and I am over halfway done with this 10 month long apprenticeship! I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn about God and serve at UT Dallas in so many different ways. There is a lot of anticipation coming back to campus at the start of a new semester. There are new students, new schedules, and new relationships that grew closer during the break. I feel like I have so much to share in this post, but I will try my best to not inundate you with too much information. As always, please reach out if you want to talk more, for I am on this journey with you! One thing that is probably the most clear to me after this month is that I need to buy a winter coat. A hoodie may be enough for 75% of Texas winter, but that remaining 25% is brutal. And that 25% is what we saw at our Winter Retreat weekend. Shoutout Mr. Towery for saving the weekend by letting me borrow one of his jackets. Temperatures dropped to the teens, but we still ...

 Hello all! Merry Christmas (or day after Christmas)! I hope the holidays have been restful and you have been able to spend some good time with the people you love in your life. More importantly during this Advent season, that you have been able to reflect on the sweet gift that is Jesus. I think for me, I have been sitting longer in the quieter characteristics of God, things like His peace, humility, or comfort. Recognizing that He came quietly as a baby and that He understood He must follow God's plan through a quiet prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. I often find this week between Christmas and New Year's to be much calmer than the weeks before, so I hope to continue exploring these characteristics with God.  We had our last small group meeting early this month on the 4th, because finals started the next week at UT Dallas. With so many students in my group experiencing their first college finals week, we were able to find other ways to meet and release stress from the week...

 Hello all! I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the holiday season. This honestly is my favorite time of the year, as long as the high temperatures stay above 60 degrees. With Thanksgiving break around the corner for our college students, this is always a good time of the year to thoughtfully reflect on our lives and show gratitude towards God and those around us. In my devotional times, I have recently finished reading through the Gospel of John. One of my favorite stories is when Jesus rises Lazarus from the dead in John 11. We see that before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, He gives thanks to God, saying "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me..". You cannot miss the parallel here to Luke 22 when Jesus is at the last supper, and gives thanks to God for his own body and blood as "He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it....saying 'This is my body...(and) this cup is the new covenant in my blood'". I am reflec...

 Happy Fall!  T-minus 2 days until it looks like the temperature will drop significantly (at least in the DFW area). The highs are still almost 90 degrees here, but we have cool 70s and rainy weather on the horizon. During my four years at UTD, I would always take harder semesters of classes during the Fall. Something about this weather makes me want to sit at my desk, put on rain sounds, and do my homework. I still have classes I am taking, like my Old Testament class, so now I get to invite other students into the magical world of rain sound study videos on Youtube. Wow. Writing this now, I am in my 13th week working on campus. A main goal of mine this month was just to develop a routine. August and September were full of outreach on campus and gearing up for our fall retreat. Now, Felipe and I (the coleader of our small group) are looking to condense the guys God has given us. It is like the idea of making a snowball. You gather up all this snow that at first is loosely hel...