The End and The Beginning

The semester came to a sweet end this month. It was filled with firsts and lasts, beginnings and ends, new and olds. What a beautiful time of year and what beautiful things the Lord has done! It was a time of rejoicing what was and what was to come.

As the semester came close to an end we had a, Hawaiian themed, Family Reunion. We had been having services Monday through Thursday evenings to have smaller numbers of people gathered together each week. Because of that there were people who came on different service nights who had never met. It was the first time we have all been together all school year. We had a cookout at Beaver Fork Lake for the occasion. We celebrated together as a growing family and even had three baptisms including one of my seniors, Emily.

We had our first all together service night in our parking lot. Due to obvious restrictions in gatherings all school year we haven’t all been together. But with the changing of the season and the welcoming of warmer weather outside was the perfect option for an outside service. We had a sea of chairs in our parking lot, set up a stage and sound system. It was our last gathering for the year.

There also comes the bittersweet time of year when our seniors graduate! I have two girls who have graduated from UCA. Emily will be an Elementary School Teacher and Vic is doing the Chi Alpha Internship. We have spent time praying over all our Seniors and sending them out into what the Lord is calling them to. It is sweet to remember where they were as Freshmen and where they are now, to see them grow up and do what the Lord is calling them to do! I’m so proud yet also sad that they will be sent out.

Summer takes us all in so many different directions. It is also that time of year that you have to say goodbye to the girls I normally see in person multiple times a week, to now just over the phone with hopefully the occasional hometown visit. As one of my girls was packing up getting ready to head for home she sent me this text...

“February 6, I wrote in my prayer journal, “If I could ask one thing of you(God) in this season, it would be that I could find a good community to be a part of, or that it would find me.” Not even a month later I ran into Alyssa and Rachael in the Student Center on campus. I had no idea what God had in store. Now at the end of the semester, as I leave the Chi Alpha building tonight I felt that community that I was hungry for so strongly. It was so hard to say bye to everyone but I was so thankful to have friends that make goodbye so hard. God is so good!” - Felicia

This school year has been so full and so sweet! My heart is full of joy and gratitude as I look back on the year and all it’s memories. The Lord has really taken care of us on campus as we have trusted Him.

Summer Is Here

The New York missions trip is happening in July. We are working hard to get things ready to go. There are 18 students who are each raising $1,500 each to go. I have $500 more to raise for myself to go. If you would like to also help sponsor a student or the team to go please let me know.

Thank you Team, for your support, prayers and partnership!

Alyssa