In this season, one that causes us to rush around, I try to slow down and reflect over everything the Lord has done over this year. I have so much to be thankful for. I could probably write an extremely long entry detailing everything that comes to mind, but the thing I am most thankful for is the cross. In this season of life I have been learning to remember and reflect on the gospel DAILY, specifically within prayer.
I have been focusing on my prayer life and how I can grow within that. One thing I have been doing everyday as a small step in that process is simply stating, “Thank you for the cross, Lord.” I have loved opening my prayers with that phrase. I feel like it centers everything else that follows and makes for a great filter of the things I need v. the things I want. We tend to run to the Lord in prayer, with a grocery list in hand, of demands that we have piled up. But, in remembering the gospel, I find my prayers to be more in line with scripture and less self centered. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that we can have God-given desires and we should pray for those, but if we don’t focus on the cross I think our selfish nature can muddy up those divine longings.
Along with prayer, the Lord has also been teaching me to see the gospel displayed in his children, specifically those who I interact with on a daily basis. I am so blessed to do ministry with a campus church that allows me to see His gospel work in action through my co-workers, lifegroup, worship team, and friends! Here are some highlights from the last month:
Ten Year Anniversary
We celebrated the 10th anniversary of H2O Cincinnati; a church that was planted by one person and, by God’s grace, has since grown into a community of people chasing after God. Check out our story:
We gathered together over a meal with friends and family to celebrate all that the Lord has done in a decade on campus here at the University of Cincinnati. We ate, reminisced, laughed, sang, and rejoiced as story after story was told. The night was truly amazing. Here are some pictures from the event:
Worship Team
We have been on a consistent pace since Fall Getaway, but we have added some new faces to our crew! I am always overwhelmed by students willing to step out of their comfort zone when they see a need. Worship team was a need that quite a few students saw, stepped up to the plate, and auditioned. I am so excited to see how the Lord will use these individuals to help lead our church into worship of Him.
The Well
Jesus did ministry in a radical way. He sought after others with a desire never before seen and walked through life with them; not just telling them how to follow Him but showing them by example. And it was from those 12 whom Jesus chose to invest in that a small movement in Judea exploded into Christianity.
Discipleship is the heart of H2O Cincinnati because we believe that God designed us to be in community with one another to push each other towards Christ, which is why we have The Well, our 7-week discipleship program to get students plugged into our church and connected with an older member.
I had the privilege to spend this semester doing life with Cassidy. She has been a huge joy in my life. I have seen so much perseverance, courage, and boldness in her. She knows the Lord, and wants to see Him magnified within herself.
Life Group
One of my greatest joys this year has been Life Group. I have never been challenged more by a group of people. The students we have coming around every Thursday night have pushed me much further than I had imagined possible, and we’ve only hit the halfway point! These humans have become family to me. We recently had the chance to sit down and have a Thanksgiving meal together. Here are some highlights from the night.
This group has been a huge success, but none of it would be possible without the incredible servants we have leading this year. Our leadership team has blown my mind with how willing they are to step up, speak up, lead by example, and give their hearts over to something they all truly believe is worth investing in. Every Sunday night, we have been gathering as a team to talk through logistics, lay out some things we want to see improve, and encourage one another. As a team, we decided recently that we want to be men and women of prayer. We want to pray more individually, but also more fervently as a group. As I mentioned earlier, I have been working on growing my prayer life, and this has been the sweetest answer to prayer. I love spending time talking with the Lord with these humans. Time with them has been some of the most special moments of this semester.
Giving Tuesday
Many of you know what “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” are, but did you know today was “Giving Tuesday?”
“GivingTuesday harnesses the potential of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities; it provides a platform for them to encourage the donation of time, resources and talents to address local challenges. It also brings together the collective power of a unique blend of partners— nonprofits, civic organizations, businesses and corporations, as well as families and individuals—to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness.”
If you currently give to a nonprofit, thank you so much for your generosity! Millions of people around the world are blessed because of the efforts made by nonprofits.
As many of you know my goal is to be spending more time on campus. It is through your generous monthly giving that this goal can be made possible. If you are looking for somewhere to give to this #GivingTuesday, I ask that you would pray and consider giving to Reliant Missions on a reoccurring basis on my behalf. There is a link below that you can use to give directly online. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions!
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support! I am so thankful for the community the Lord has blessed me with. I pray you all find rest in His presence this holiday season. Slow down, open the Word, pray, sit down and share what the Lord is doing in your own lives with family and loved ones.
Keep up with me on social media! You can find me on Facebook and Instagram but feel free to email me or check out the rest of my website!
Joyful with Christ 
Leave a Reply