Last week was a great week of learning and service for the ISI North Texas team. We had the privilege of hosting 10 ISI staff from around the country the EQUIP conference. EQUIP is a week long seminar which serves as a “basic training” for national staff who come – exposing them to international student ministry fundamentals. Most of our North Texas team together with Gordy from home office and Teri from our Phoenix team (12 in all) contributed in some way – sharing, teaching, and exposing the staff to ministry as we understand and practice it. It was fun to see each person share from their passions (all a little different) and experience. Derrah as always did a great job organizing it and listening to the Spirit lead in moving the gathering forward. What a team! I heard that each of the staff who came was blessed and left encouraged and ready to put into practice what they learned. God was here and He IS good. Here is a note from Gordy, ISI’s national training director:

I want to take this opportunity to thank you, and the entire Dallas team, for your OUTSTANDING work in preparing for and completing the EQUIP training week! Thank you for the gracious and sacrificial way you all hosted and cared for the training participants. The response from participants says it all. EQUIP was a home run. As a result, these folks are going back to their ministries encouraged, better equipped, and motivated to implement what they learned in Dallas. It was an honor and privilege to serve with you once again, to pray with you, to fellowship with you, and to train with you. You are an amazing, gifted, and generous team. May the Lord compensate you in every way for your investment. Until next time.

God was here and He IS good. Praise the Lord!

• We had an unexpected blessing. A new class of 25 EMBA students from East Asia just arrived on Thursday. Nobody knew they were coming. God has blessed the opportunity to serve this group in the past. All of this group this year are men between 30-50 and they all work for the same company. They seem to have an interest in learning golf and have lived all over the world. Pray that God will use the team, especially Rich and Cindy who have been the point people in touching this group, to be able to show them snapshots of God’s Kingdom in Christ.
• ​Lisa and I were blessed by special friends to a weekend together. It was needed and well spent. Praise God for this time.
• The Arlington ministry had a combined Starbucks and Plantarium group end of the year potluck, cook-your-own-meat picnic at River Legacy Park last week and over 100 students were there. It was so much fun! It is clear that these students identify with the home groups as their “community” and through that some M:28 Discovery Bible studies have started (and stuck) and others are just “waiting to happen.” It was great watching the students and volunteers serve each other too. Praise the Lord!