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Over 600 students!!

Wow, the first month of 2025 has already wrapped up! I hope the new year has been going well for each of you so far. It's yet to be seen how this year with treat our ministry at SMU, but so far it's been very encouraging!

Winter Retreat

We just finished up our biggest event of the year! At Winter Retreat, over 600 students (possibly even 700) from across Dallas / Fort Worth drove out to spend the weekend in Glen Rose to praise God and grow in their faith.

This was the most lively group we've ever brought. There were several occasions where we finished our worship session, but the students just kept singing and forced the band to pick the song back up! lol unfortunate for them, but what an incredible problem to have.

We also had our largest group from SMU attend! 

A total of 22 came out. That's about half our ministry!

Now that more SMU students are experiencing winter retreat, they will get to share how great of an experience it was to their peers when it rolls back around next year.

I'm hopeful that more and more SMU students will take the leap and spend the weekend at retreat in years to come as our community continues to grow!

Transfers
If you're like me, you may think that the Spring is a slower time for connecting new students to campus ministry. You'd be right... but also wrong!

While there are far fewer students transferring in than freshman who come in the fall, we've started noticing a fascinating trend. While these students are fewer, there's noticeably more hungry to get connected to other students, and to Jesus.

Just this last week we've had at least 4 more students start coming around and coming to EVERYTHING. While most freshmen will just attend one or two things then be flaky the rest of the semester.

I'm unsure what all God has in store for this semester, but it's clear that he's already setting things in motion! Please say a prayer for these students as they navigate the confusing years of college, learning how to balance their lives and responsibilities with following Jesus. Thank you so much for investing in these young men and women. Neither you (nor even I) have any idea the exponential effect this is having over the coming decades as these students graduate and bring Jesus to their neighborhoods, workplaces, and families.

Your brother,
Taylor

P.S. If you were looking out for an update last month, my apologies! Life got pretty hectic with car problems, prep for the new semester, etc. But we're back in the swing of things! :) See you next month.



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