Tis' The Season To Serve!

Students gather around all of the toys we gathered for our 2012 FOCUS Toy Drive!

This year for FOCUS we partnered with the Community Partners of Dallas to participate in their annual toy drive.  This service provides Christmas gifts for children and teenagers in Dallas ranging from age 5 to 18 who are from underprivileged families.  Some of these individuals are abused, neglected, or molested and are in desperate need of the Jesus' spirit.  

FOCUS came through big and provided over 60 kids with their Christmas wishes this year and we dropped them off on Saturday, December 8th at their Dallas warehouse location.  The nonprofit organization was extremely grateful for our work and it was a real pleasure to help out those whose may not have the privileges and opportunities that we have.

Let's remember that this is the season to give and serve, not to receive and neglect.  Let us remember our God who came to serve and seek what was lost.  My prayer is that this holiday season we would do the same!

Have The Conversation

Good Evening!

The holidays are soon approaching and it's one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the joy and feelings associated with thankfulness and remembrance of what our Lord did for us through Jesus.  I hope and pray that this holiday season spurs us on to bless others.

I entitled this entry "Have The Conversation," because it is what God has taught me over the last couple of months.  There have been some challenging moments over the last couple months regarding students and leaders in our ministry.  These challenges have forced me to come out of my comfort zone and have the tough, challenging conversations that do not feel comfortable!

Asking/saying things such as, "So what did you think when I said/did that?", "What has God been teaching you about things you need to hand over to him?", and "When you did ______ it came across rude and arrogant, I don't think that was right.  Am I being crazy here?"

God is showing me that tough conversations are a part of ministry and we need to be prepared to have them if we plan on being effective servants in God's kingdom!  The gospels are full of conversations that are inconvenient and challenging involving Jesus.  Remember that Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40)

The call is to be like Jesus and that involves having the tough conversations!

Thank you again for your support of campus ministry and giving me the opportunity to be on this campus reaching our to a lost and dying world.

- Sirak