A (Soft) Farewell

Hi everyone! I'm so thankful and excited to welcome you to my last blog as a Focus apprentice minister. I've been with Focus 5 years at this point, and so its with a little bit of sorrow that I watch this season come to a close, but I can't express how thankful I am that I've gotten to be a part of this ministry.

Me in Focus as a freshman

Five years ago when I joined Focus, I was nervous, knew no one in Dallas, and had no real vision of how God could change my life or use me in any significant ways. Through the friendships, studies, worship, leadership training, and community I experienced in Focus and the power of God, I can honestly say I am a completely different person today. Today Mark might barely recognize freshman Mark. Focus does what few other groups do. It provides real friendships that will last a lifetime, it teaches leadership skills and vibrant intellectual thoughtfulness about our faith. It empowers people and challenges them to grow in some uncomfortable ways. I could really go on and on. 

While leaving really does feel quite sad, like the end of a really good book, its actually sort of a soft farewell. The friendships I have built will not magically disappear. As one of my pastors told me, there is way to leave campus ministry without truly leaving. I can still be a fan who cheers them on and supports in the ways I know how. Just as so many of you have so graciously supported me through prayers and finances, I too can invest in a place where I know God is working. 

Modern me in Focus

Starting in June I will begin working for Raytheon as a mechanical engineer specializing in radar. I'm really excited to enter the workforce and begin building friendships and learning what workplace ministry looks like. The Focus apprenticeship has really prepared me in some powerful ways to be more bold in sharing my life with people and in learning how to patiently wait and build friendships over a long period of time.

As its the end of a chapter for me and the start of a new one, so the same for the ministry as a whole. My core has wrapped up for the year, finishing with an encouragement core where we shared with each other the ways we have seen God working and told each other thank you for the ways we have served one another. It was really cool to see each of the guys in core thoughtfully reflect on how God was working in others and give thanks for that. I also wrote an open letter to the core that I think really captures the year as a whole. You can find the link to that here: Open Letter to the CPC Guys Core

The CPC guys and girls cores

Summer Focus is now starting up, virtually of course. Summer is a time where students can sometimes become pretty lazy and disappear when it comes to community, so in order to make things exciting, all of the campuses (11 in total) come together to have one large fun service together. We also encourage students to become in PACCS, which are groups of 2-3 students who meet weekly to share in Prayer, Adoration, Confession, Commision, and Scripture together. These are a great way for students to deepen friendships and have regular accountability to grow in their faith over the semester. 

What your average Summer Focus looks like nowadays

I want to give a final thank you to all of you who have continued to pray and support me faithfully this year! I am humbled by your generosity and so thankful that you chose to participate in what God is doing in campus ministry. I hope and anticipate that the friendships and love we share will continue past this year. I am still contacting some of you to ask if you would be interested in supporting another minister for Focus. My roommate Austin is staying on staff to do the same work I have been, and he is currently 70% fund-raised, so if you are able I would love to invite you to support him!

Prayer Requests

• Pray that our students would participate in summer Focus and continue to grow in friendship and faith over an uncertain summer. Pray that they would find jobs and internships as they need to support themselves and as some of them graduate.
• Pray for our entire world as we respond to corona-virus and begin to reopen. Pray for the doctors, nurses, and government officials who seek to help the world recover. Pray that God would turn this evil to good and that his name would be glorified through this.
• Pray that I would be filled with wisdom and God's Spirit as I enter the workforce. Pray that I would learn new disciplines and continue to seek God well as I make this transition.