cougarhoogs

Spring Semester- Part #1

2011-03-16T14:10:00.007-05:00

I have obviously been neglecting this poor blog. There's just so, so much going on around here that every time I sit down to write about it, I get overwhelmed and have no idea where to even begin.

But again, so much is happening and if it doesn't get written down and told somewhere, it's under threat of being forgotten. So, please brace yourself what's likely to be a very long, but exciting, post!

To begin...ugh! This is the problem I've been having!
I'll just start with SALT. What an incredible time we had with another 1,000+ college students, worshiping the Lord and laying their lives down for His Kingdom and His Glory!!! I've been to many SALT conferences over the years, both as a student and as a leader, and never have I ever experienced the move of the Holy Spirit of God like I did at this historical event. Not only was it the largest in attendance, but there was no denying that students were hungry to hear from the Lord and He was eager to speak. We took about 10 students with us and all were touched by the Lord. And some of the following stories are direct results of these few getting serious about the move of God on their campus.

Like I said, the students that went to SALT came back on fire and ready to see some things happen. They got serious about praying and about seeking the Lord. Because of this, some of their friends began to also get serious. Here's a story about one guy...we'll call him "John."

John has been coming around XA for the last several years. He's never shown even an ounce of interest in actually walking with the Lord, but has continued to be faithful to show up to meetings and has even helped to lead worship on Thursday nights. We've prayed and prayed that he would fall in love with the Lord and that he would show some sign of emotion or excitement about the Lord, but we've seen nothing for several years. But something seemed to begin to shift in him after the Christmas break. He contacted Matt and asked if he could meet with him. They talked openly and honestly about changes that needed to be made and soon after we began noticing little changes in him. There was one Thursday night when Matt talked about hearing from the Lord and afterward, gave the students an opportunity for them to press into the presence of God. The worship team was playing and we were getting ready to wrap up the night. Since John was already up front leading worship and Matt was blocked from getting up front (because of all the students on the floor weeping and seeking the Lord), he motioned for John to close us in prayer to dismiss. John started to pray and then, suddenly without warning, he just broke down in tears...couldn't even finish praying. The Lord had obviously gotten a hold of his heart and has continued to draw him ever since then. Thanks be to God that He hears us when we call on Him and that He still speaks to us!!!

Another cool story from that same night about 2 of the girls:
Becca had been seeking the Lord in her private time in the weeks prior to this night specifically about hearing from Him. She wanted to make sure that what she was hearing was actually from Him and not her own thoughts and ideas...understandable, right? She also had been asking the Lord to give her the grace to be obedient to whatever it was that He was asking of her.
Nicole was in the middle of one of those transitional seasons of life where she was on the brink of graduation and therefore, needing to "figure out life" and what her next steps were going to be. She had several options before her and had such a desire to be in the Will of God and not be doing her own thing. But to know the Will of God for her life, she needed to hear from Him directly.
So, we come to this same Thursday night where Matt spoke on what it means to "hear from God" and why it's such a big deal that we hear from Him. He gave the invitation after his message to get alone and on their faces before the Lord and to cultivate an atmosphere in their hearts to hear from Him and receive what He was speaking.
Students were scattered all over the room. Becca was in the back of the room by herself, still asking the Lord for a confidence that what she heard, she would believe was from Him and that she would be obedient to it. He spoke a name to her and she began to question whether or not that was actually Him. He gently reminded her that if she was going to continue to question, then He would not continue to speak to her. She decided she'd better listen and asked Him what to say to Nicole (someone she didn't really even know at all.) All He showed her was an image of a lamppost.
Nicole was sitting alone and off to the side of the room. She was telling the Lord in her heart that she trusted Him completely and that she didn't need to know every detail of how her life was going to go, but that she did need to just simply hear from Him. She specifically asked that He use someone else to speak to her. Not even a minute later, Becca came and sheepishly sat down next to her. She told Nicole that she didn't know what she was needing from the Lord, but that He had put her on Becca's heart and had given her an image of lamppost. Becca told Nicole she didn't know exactly what it meant, but that it was for her, from the Lord.

How amazing is our God who really does hear what's in our hearts and speaks to us in ways that we cannot deny His existence!? He loves us dearly and so wants for our hearts to trust His word. He is a God of specifics and intimately cares about the details of our lives.

One Month Down and Going Strong!

2010-09-19T20:58:00.004-05:00

It's been about a month since school at UH started and what a CRAZY and incredible month it's been!

Welcome Week was such a success and we met a great number of new people. We never really know beforehand just how these things will actually turn out. Will we buy tons of food and no one will show up? Or will we underestimate and end up with a mass crowd? Somehow, the LORD put everything in perfect balance and we had lots of people show up to all the events and just enough food to feed and satisfy all those "starving" college students. Here are some of the girls at our main event, the Luau. We had a blast!

Thursday nights are also really going so well. I think more people show up every week. Really, I'm pretty sure it's a different crowd every time, but Matt and I have made it a point to not count how many show up. I'm not really sure why not, but I think it's better for us to not put so much emphasis on numbers. Obviously, we want to grow numerically...UH is a gigantic campus. But we're way more concerned with real spiritual growth. So, we've made it our goal to make maturity and depth our focus.

We just had our first 2010-2011 Leadership Meeting and I cannot say just how proud we are of these incredible students who have stepped up and taken on this unique role of responsibility. We were able to encourage them and give them a chance to express concerns and struggles. It's really a tough thing to build a small group from scratch and to get commitment-phobic college students to be faithful, but they really have made some great connections and rising to the occasion. So proud of them!

Now, we are very much looking forward to our annual Breakaway Retreat in Huntsville. This is such an incredible time where even deeper connections are made and friendships are really fused together. Please be praying with us that students go and that lives are changed. We're expecting the LORD to really do a significant work in their lives. I promise, you will be hearing more about this.

Here are a few pictures from last year's Breakaway.

One Week and Counting...!!!

2010-08-15T08:44:00.004-05:00

We are almost exactly ONE WEEK away from the first day of the 2010-2011 school year. I can't believe how fast the summer break has gone. Feels like it was not that long ago that we were wrapping up the last school year.

Life for us, here in Houston, is all a whirlwind with all the plans and details of our yearly Welcome Week events that begin that first day of school, Monday, the 23rd. We've made plans for just about every night of the first week of school (and then some) in order to more easily meet new friends on campus. We've got a game of Kickball planned for Monday night; on Wednesday, a giant, campus-wide Scavenger Hunt ending in free pizza (can't go wrong with free pizza and college students, right?); our very first UHXA worship service of the school year for Thursday night; and a fun Luau complete with roasting animal of some sort for Friday night.

In addition to all the event plans, we're also making sure to keep ourselves and our leadership team emerged in constant prayer. Because we know that even if we make the best of plans and attempt to see everything carried out to the letter, we still need the LORD, in His infinite wisdom and grace, to show up. We've been praying that HE would go before us and pave the way to the hearts of students all over the University of Houston. We know He loves them and longs to have relationship with them more than we ever could imagine.

We really are excited to share all the stories and pictures of this crazy and exciting time of the year. Please be in prayer with us, as I know you will be. The LORD is so faithful to give us such an outstanding team of supporters and pray-ers. We love you so much and are grateful to go fight this battle for you!

You Think Houston is Hot???

2010-07-23T11:10:00.003-05:00

Summertime is such a sweet, yet very busy time for us and this summer has been absolutely no exception. From weddings, to family reunions, visiting with friends and traveling, we've been reminded over and over again how rich our life really is. I'd love to tell you all about it, but thankfully, I've already written a little bit about it all (including lots of pictures!) on my other blog. So, please go check it out!

I would, however, like to kinda highlight a few things from our trip to Phoenix, AZ. We were so excited to get to go out west (neither of us had ever been out that far) and spend a week with some of our dearest friends and XA family. This wasn't just a vacation and we knew that from the beginning.

All the directors and staff from all the Chi Alphas in the nation got together last week to celebrate what the LORD has been doing on each campus and to gear up for what is ahead. Not only did we get spoiled by getting to stay at this luxury resort (Arizona Grand Resort), but we also got to spend the week learning how to better reach the students on our campus.

Here are a few things we learned (or were reminded of):

1. The culture in America changes every time a new generation rises. Their questions about life/God/religion and the way in which they ask these questions are also changing.

2. Islam is really on the rise in America and on the American university campus. The best way to reach this group of people is to make one friend at a time...and to be committed to pray for them in love.

3. Our supporters (YOU!) want to hear stories about the people we deal with and want to know how to pray for them. (I also learned that if you choose to have a blog, it's important to update it frequently...I'm trying to get better at this.) :)

4. God's goodness is not contingent on our circumstances. Meaning, He stays the same and He's always good. Even though we may go through some tough times and experience some pretty crummy situations, doesn't mean that He's suddenly stopped being good to us. No, He loves us and if we let it, those crummy situations can be used to glorify Him.

5. True discipleship is like saying marriage vows to someone. "I choose to love you and walk beside you no matter what; for better or worse...til death do us part."

6. It takes a good 2+ days to drive from Houston to Phoenix. And it's not a boring drive at all. I took a big, fat book with me to read along the way, and didn't get very far because I kept getting distracted by God's creative handiwork. Here's a little of what we saw all along the way:

Texas Hill Country

Watch out for that killer cacti!

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
(driving through El Paso right along the border)

I can't remember if this was taken in New Mexico or Arizona.
Either way, we were constantly in awe of the majesty of these mountains.
Can you tell we're from East Texas and have had very little experience with mountains?

We had such a significant time and were really reminded why we do what we do. And we've only been back for less than a week, but the LORD has already made it very clear to us in the last few days (stayed tuned for these awesome stories!) that we are His ambassadors to a very lost and hurting world...right here in Houston, TX.

Making Good on My Previously-Made Promise

2010-06-23T18:22:00.008-05:00

Did you think I forgot? Okay, I kinda might have forgotten. But only for a few days. ;)

We have been having a BLAST so far this summer "break" with all the craziness that's going on around here. To start off, we've been meeting with our leadership team every Monday going through our Leadership Training Course. We have 5 new student leaders to add to our returning 4 leaders and LTC gets them each ready to lead a small group throughout the new school year. We discuss all different types of topics related to discipleship and it really has been such a joy to watch these students as they continue to develop a real burden for their friends on the UH campus. Matt and I keep finding ourselves being humbled by their hunger for the LORD and their excitement about reaching the campus of University of Houston. I simply can't wait to share with you all the cool stories that come from watching this group in action.

the 5 newest leaders

(Matthew, Chris, Sam, Daniel and Nicole)

the entire leadership team 2010-2011

In other news:
Something else we're in the midst of realizing about life in college ministry is that the wedding craze never really ends. Here we are, all grown up with most of our friends already married off and entering into the wonderful world of babies. But somehow, we've managed to keep ourselves in the wedding side of life.

All jokes aside, this is one of the most beautiful and exciting things to be apart of when it comes to campus ministry (but not as beautiful and exciting as salvation). We get to see some of these students come out of unhealthy relationships that they don't even realize are unhealthy and enter into ones that are glorifying the LORD and useful to the Kingdom. The LORD really does redeem our bad mistakes and creates new life when we surrender our live to HIM. And then of course, there are also couples where they always have walked with the LORD and those are also exciting to watch as HE continues the story of beauty in their lives.

We got the incredible privilege in the beginning of June to be apart of our VERY FIRST EVER University of Houston Chi Alpha wedding! We met Kristin and Adam at the beginning of the school year. They had already been dating for several years, but were not living for the LORD. They both gave their lives to JESUS and have continued to grow in love with Him and each other ever since. He proposed right after the new year and they got married a few weeks ago. We are so happy for their new life together and all the beauty that will come from it.

Here are a few pictures from the blessed event:

the happy couple

i got to be the Matron of Honor and give a toast. awkward. but sweet.

a Chi Alpha group picture

the next happy couple to get married in October, Dean and Nicole

just wanted to throw in a picture of another VERY happy couple :)

A Post With No Picture

2010-06-12T16:08:00.004-05:00

SO many wonderful things are going on right now that I just haven't had the chance to update. And I could probably sit here and tell ya all about it, but I have this silly thing about posting without pictures. I just don't like to do it. Especially, when what I'm writing about actually has a picture or two to go with it. But we're here at Matt's parent's house for the weekend and I don't have any of my pictures.

So, you'll have to wait. Sorry.

But just rest in this: AMAZING things are happening around us here in Houston. And the LORD is continuing to show HIS faithfulness and pour out HIS beauty in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Just stay tuned for all the stories...and the pictures. ;)

Oh, By the Way...

2010-05-09T20:32:00.003-05:00

I believe I have a confession to make to all you loyal readers of this humble blog. For a couple months now, I have been keeping another blog on the side. *GASP*

Now, I realize I may need to explain myself and I intend to do so. You see, I used to write a lot all throughout my school days. While some may grimace at the idea of writing papers and essays, I actually really enjoy it. And I had been feeling a lot lately that I had really lost the skills involved in writing. No, I'm not particularly great at it. And I do make many grammatical and punctuational errors fairly frequently. But there's something about getting my thoughts about various topics down into written form. I also rather enjoy being able to go back to what I wrote about months/ years ago and see the changes that have happened, either progress in writing or just entertainment at visiting different memories.

So why keep TWO blogs and not just mold them into one? Honestly, I'm not too sure. The only reason I can come up with is that some of you are really only interested in our ministry here at UH. And don't get me wrong...I don't for one minute think that absolutely nobody is ever interested in our personal lives. But I'm also not so foolish enough to believe that everyone wants to hear about all that. And I don't at all believe that our lives in ministry are separate from our personal lives. Because I believe that our normal, everyday lives are just that...ministry. I guess it's just easier to be relaxed and maybe even a little goofy on the personal blog. Does that make sense?

Anyway, if you are indeed at all interested in my blabberings and random thoughts and stories, then by all means...please give my other blog a little visit. I'll be more than happy to host you over there on occasion. And between the 2 blogs, you just might be able to know a little bit about what goes on in our lives. And feel free to leave a little comment or such, just to let me know that you stopped by. :) Happy Blogging!

A Few Highlights

2010-05-03T16:23:00.008-05:00

WOW! I really can't believe that it's already the end of the school year! I feel like we were JUST planning out welcome week or the first week in August and now we're planning out an end-of-the-year pool party. I feel so behind in updating here. The truth is that (as silly as it sounds) I lost our camera for a good chunk of the semester and what good is a blog post without pictures to go with it? ;)

So many really incredible things have happened throughout the year. There are several hearts and lives that will never be the same; the LORD has been so faithful to be with us every step of the way.

Here are a few of my favorite highlights from the semester:

1. In the beginning of March, I took most of the girls out to a friend's lakehouse for a weekend retreat. We had so, so, so much fun and were really challenged by our 2 sweet interns who've been coming down every week from SHSU Chi Alpha. Hannah and Kimberly are such incredibly wise and beautiful women who have given all of themselves to this precious group of girls. They are each a strand of thread forever woven into the tapestry of this ministry here at UH. I could not be more thankful for them. I did, thankfully, have my camera for this wonderful time together.

2. We took the first ever Communion at UHXA the Thursday evening before Easter. It was such a sweet time with our students. Eric, one of the student leaders, preached about the Cross and about what it truly means to honor the significance of it in our daily lives. He did such a an amazing job! And afterward, we participated in Communion together.

3. We have had the privilege to see the fruit of some of the seeds that were sewn back in the fall. We fought hard through the long, cold winter where everything seemed to be frozen over and, in some, maybe even dead. But with the warmth of the spring sun and the melting of the ice came the warmth of the grace of GOD to melt the hearts of our friends. And sure enough, up comes little shoots of green...signs of life!

4. This last Monday was the final evening of the school year for the Girls' Small Group. We had such a sweet time together, even though we were all emotional about it being the last time we would all be together in one place. Nicole (the other leader) and I had the house candle-lit with sweet worship music playing when they got here. She read the passage of Scripture where JESUS washes the feet of the disciples and then we washed their feet one-by-one and prayed over them. Afterwards, we all went out to dinner, all dressed up. I still can't believe all the different beautiful women the LORD has brought into my life just in the last year. I so enjoy looking back at who they each were when I first met them and then thinking about what their lives look like now. Transformation is such a beautiful thing.

I'm sure some pretty amazing things also happened with the guys, but they don't really tell me anything and I can't get Matt to post on here for anything. Ha! We sure do enjoy what we do and are just in awe of what the LORD has done in such a short time. We eagerly look ahead to what's brewing for the summer and are in anticipation for what's coming next fall. Keep your eye out for more awesome stories...there's always something going on here.

Pancake Dinner Outreach 2010

2010-03-15T15:30:00.005-05:00

I slightly alluded to our Pancake Dinner Outreach via photo in the previous post. It was such a FUN and successful night. We've been talking a lot in small groups and on Thursday nights lately about being outward-minded and about sharing their faith and the gospel with those around them. Because we really believe that there should always be a practical application to everything we talk about, we try to have occasional opportunities for the students to invite some of their friends and classmates to events.

This is how we came up with Pancake Dinner Outreach 2010. We're still (and probably will always be) in the stage of "trial and error." We just kinda brainstorm and come up with ideas. Then we try them out. Sometimes they totally flop. This one was seemingly pretty successful.

We just made up a bunch of fliers for the students to pass out in classes, dorms, etc. the week before. Then we made TONS of pancakes (super cheap!) and coffee and had lots of games going. There was a pretty good turn-out and we even met several new faces. Maybe we'll do it again next year?

Here are some photos from our fun night:

Pancakes taste better when made by these 3 beauties.

Liz making sure her pancakes are perfect...they were. :)

Mmmm...pancakes.

A Quick (and long over-due) Update

2010-02-20T22:45:00.007-06:00

My, my, my! It sure has been quite some time since I last posted. I've started about four or five different new posts for this thing in the last couple months, but it seems that the task just proves to be too overwhelming. With so much constantly going on in our super busy lives, there just seems to always be something new to post about.

So here is my post just to check in to the blogging world. We are alive. We are somewhat well and healthy (besides the typical colds and allergies, etc.). We are overwhelmed by the grace of GOD in our personal lives as well as in our ministry. Too many AMAZING things are going on here at the University of Houston in Chi Alpha. We have been finding ourselves saying a lot lately, "WHAT is the LORD doing???" And of course, it's always said in a good way. Growth, as far as in numbers, is exploding! The new semester has brought on many, many new faces...mostly girls...THANK THE LORD!!!! :)

Growth, as far as spiritual maturity, is also exploding! We've been praying quite a bit lately that the LORD would supernaturally speed up the maturing process in the lives of the students we already know. It truly is not a cliche thing when I say, we have been, and are continuing to be, utterly, completely BLESSED!!!

I shall leave you with a few pictures:

the (huge) crowd of college students who gathered together for worship at the annual Salt Conference at the beginning of the year

a few beautiful women I am super privileged to love
Kristin, Liz and Nicole

showing my competitive (yet, fun-loving) side in a game of spoons at our Outreach Pancake Dinner last weekend...we had such a great turn-out and met several new people!

fun times in houston

2009-11-07T12:52:00.011-06:00

here's a photographic peek into the last few weeks of our life:

BREAKAWAY 2009

group shot
we had about 15 students come with us!

this is "big chris" being baptized by eric and matt
this guy hasn't stopped witnessing to everyone he meets since he got saved in august.

kristin being baptized by nicole
she has also been set on fire for the LORD. i've NEVER seen someone so hungry to know more about the WORD and to do the right thing.

Chili Cook-Off and Costume Party

mary poppins with bert the chimney sweep :)

strawberry shortcake, a 50's girl and a ladybug

swine flu

spring, summer, autumn and winter

an exciting (and competitive) time of games

* so, here's a cool story about the costume party. we made up about 400 fliers and matt passed them out on campus 2 days before the party. we never know just how effective it's gonna be, but we're always hopeful, right? well, turns out that out of the 400 or so fliers that were passed out, one girl in particular grabbed one. she stuffed it into her one of her books and never gave it another thought...until saturday afternoon (the day of the party). she was at work and had a bit of time to study during her break and she noticed the flier. she decided it sounded like fun and much better than all the other alternatives for halloween parties that night. so, she randomly showed up...with 4 of her friends!! they were super sweet and highly interested in getting involved with a Christian group on campus.

the moral of the story? every little thing we do, even when it seems pointless, is never in vain.
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

good news/bad news

2009-10-14T20:56:00.005-05:00

how 'bout the good news first, then the bad?

good news: matt and i had a jam-packed, fun-filled weekend. (i'm about to tell you all about it.)

bad news: i have zero pictures to prove it, so you'll just have to use your imagination, okay?

we had such a GREAT time hanging out with the hoogendoorn side of matt's family at a combination family reunion and celebration of his granny's birthday. can i just say how precious his granny is? she really is the kind of woman that makes it obvious why my husband and his family walk so closely with the LORD. i wish we could spend more time with her.

we had to leave jacksonville (where the reunion was) early because we had a church service in houston sunday morning. i'm gonna be honest...i had never experienced multiple church services before this, not to mention a church as large as this one, and i was actually a little hesitant about it (mainly because we got back into town SUPER late saturday night and had to get up SUPER early the next morning for a full day of services.) IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! the people at Braeswood AG are so down to earth and so welcoming. i felt right at home.

we get to meet so many truly amazing people doing what we do. i love our job! :)

who can we trust?

2009-09-24T10:23:00.003-05:00

we, as a society or culture, never seem to "do business" on a handshake or by word of promise anymore. and when i say, "anymore" i must clarify that i've never known a time when life was honest, but i've heard about an age, long ago, when there was no reason not to trust that somebody was gonna do what they said they were gonna do.

it's sad to me, sometimes, that we seem to not even trust the word of our friends and family anymore. even sadder that our friends and family sometimes can't trust what we say. but why? maybe because we're fallen and sinful. probably. okay, definitely.

looking throughout Scripture, we see that GOD has made lots and lots of promises to us as His children. He's promised to never leave us; He's promised that if we lift Him up, He'll draw all men to Himself; He's promised to never flood the earth again; He's promised to provide for our every need; He's promised to clothe us in robes of righteousness even though we deserve filthy rags of sin; He's promised us a hope of a brilliant eternity. Some of us claim the promises that He's made that our loved ones will come to know Him, that we will be healed, that we will have a husband/wife and that we will have a family. that's only the beginning of His promises to us.

and why can we trust His promises when we can't seem to trust the word of others? because of HIS character. He is good. and He is true. He has not sinned and is not fallen. so, it's not necessarily that we can trust in His promises, but that we can trust in who He is.

"My faith does not rest on God's promises. My faith rests on God's character..." - A.W.Tozer

welcome week 2009

2009-09-02T18:22:00.009-05:00

here's a little visual glimpse into the very busy week at the beginning of the school year called, "welcome week." for us, this first week of school is a PERFECT opportunity to meet new students and get them involved before the semester gets thick. welcome week involves many activities and events to invite students to...and of course, FREE FOOD. we've met so many new people...friends for life. here are some pictures:

we had a table on campus during the day and passed out candy and fliers.

kickball

free pizza after a campus-wide scavenger hunt

bowling
(this is melissa...one of the new students we met! LOVE her!)

free ice cream and coffee after our first fall meeting

eric, kevin, dean and nicole

2009-08-20T20:33:00.003-05:00

i still can't believe the team the LORD has lined up for us. they are super amazing and just keep surprising me at every turn. last weekend, matt and i took the four of them on a leadership retreat to lake livingston. we had such a wonderful time together and were really able to get some stuff decided.

i think the coolest part about them is that although we've watched their lives change and grow over the last year or so, we still haven't really seen them become completely responsible for a group of students yet. that's about to change. their lives are about to change. oh, i'm so excited!

thoughts on life/death

2009-08-02T20:36:00.003-05:00

so, i've been thinking a little bit about death lately...depressing, i know. after my grandmother passed away last week, i began to think about what people would say about me when i died.

you see, i realized that whatever it is that we value most throughout our lifetime is what our death also becomes about. for example, if we give our lives to family (which is not a bad thing), then all that people talk about when we die is how great a mother, father, sister, etc we were. if we give ourselves to our work, the only thing people can say about us when we leave is how much we accomplished in our particular field. if we live our lives around how much money we have or all the things we can acquire, then that's all that people will be concerned with when we die.

if we live our lives for the LORD and give ourselves to Him only, then that's all that can be said about us after our life is over here on earth. even those who may be unbelievers will be forced to talk about JESUS, because that will be the very essence of what our lives have been about.

that's i want for people to talk about when they talk about my life.

it's finally official!

2009-07-18T13:39:00.005-05:00

matt and his official badge :)

okay...so matt may not be happy with me for putting this picture of him up, but i'm just too excited!!! earlier this week, he and two of the student "officers" attended a meeting at the university that allowed Chi Alpha to become an official student organization on campus. they gave him a cool new badge and everything. the LORD really showed HIS favor on us and has some really cool things in store for UHXA.

there are only a few more weeks left of summer and it seems as though the excitement just builds and builds the closer we get to the beginning of the fall 09 semester. however, as the excitement mounts, so does the nervousness. we kinda feel like we're about to walk into a realm of something completely unknown. PRAISE GOD that He's on our side, right? even though we're a little freaked out, we can walk in confidence knowing that we're not alone and that the Most Sovereign GOD is our guide.

please keep us in your prayers during this time. we need supernatural wisdom and continued favor from the LORD.

we are so rich...

2009-07-07T07:10:00.007-05:00

The past couple of months have been such a busy, yet beautiful time for us. Matt and I have truly seen just how rich we are in terms of relationships, and how blessed we are to be always surrounded with such an amazing host of loving friends and family.

Here we are with my mom and my sister, Allison, setting up for my grandmother's 80th surprise birthday party. Gran is such an example of strength, beauty, and the love of GOD. It was so much fun celebrating her life and what's yet to come with many, many other precious family members.The month of June was started by our time at Camp Barnabas. We thought in going to this camp to serve that we would be a blessing to those there, but it turned out that we were the ones who left indescribably blessed.

Matt's cousin, Walker, got married a couple weekends ago in Corpus Christi and we were able to spend some relaxing time with his family. Of course, we did steal away by ourselves for just one day for fun at the beach and a nice dinner overlooking the water as the sun set. (Ahhh...) We were also able to spend some extra time with his brothers, Josh and James, for the Fourth of July.
Then, just as Matt's brothers were leaving, we welcomed our dear friends, Kyle and Tabitha Crouch into our home. We went to school with them at Sam Houston, but the LORD has directed them to minister to college students in Washington State. They're here for the month visiting friends and family. We really had such a refreshing time with them, catching up and talking about what the LORD is doing on college campuses at opposite ends of the country. We're honored to be have them as friends and co-laborors for the Kingdom of GOD.

Like I said, we've been super busy, but there's nothing else we'd rather be doing than spending time with those we love. We really are so grateful for the wealth we have in relationships...including our relationship with you!

CBTX

2009-06-21T11:48:00.005-05:00

serving the LORD at Camp Barnabas TX was such an amazing experience...for EVERYBODY involved!!! we've all pretty much decided that it would take way too long to really explain all that the LORD did in our hearts that week. to sum it up in a simple phrase? forever changed. another phrase? our work here (with this ministry) is not finished. we're excited to see how the LORD will continue to use the students at UH at CBTX.
here are a few pics of us with our campers:

matt with his camper, noah
(that's a chocolate mustache that noah painted on him)

me with my camper, rebecca

kevin (one of our UH students) with his camper, jeff

and nicole (another UH student) with her camper, jessica

UHXA at CBTX

2009-06-04T16:42:00.005-05:00

We are so excited to be taking a couple of UH students with us to Camp Barnabas TX for the next several days on a missions trip, but it's not exactly the kind of missions trip you're thinking about.

CBTX is a camp out in Tomball, TX specifically for kids with special needs and their siblings. This is such a wonderful ministry because most kids who have special needs are unable to go to a normal summer camp, but the amazing directors at CBTX make it possible for these kids to come to camp, stay overnight (which is really a big deal!), and have the time of their lives!

We leave tomorrow afternoon and plan to get back on Wednesday. Please pray for us as we're out there serving the LORD in this way. And of course, pictures and stories of the trip to follow.

i don't deserve this man...

2009-05-10T08:47:00.004-05:00

can i just brag on my sweet husband for just a minute? this man is truly just so amazing and so thoughtful. i walked into the living room this morning to sit and eat breakfast and spend time with the LORD, and i saw that the coffee table was all cleared off (highly unusual). there was a big envelope with my name written all the way across it.

this darling man bought me a mother's day card just to tell me how much he loves me and that he enjoys this time we have as just the two of us, but that he looks forward to future when he can pick out little gifts and pretend that the kids actually bought them. *sigh*

and it's funny, because i feel much the same way. i really, really, really enjoy our life being just the two of us right now. just yesterday, we slept in until almost 10:00!!! a friend of mine (who has 2 very little boys) joked that she couldn't even remember what sleeping in was like.

as much as neither of us can wait until we're mommy and daddy, we sure are glad to have this amazing time together...just the two of us.

wow! what a year it's been...

2009-05-06T15:28:00.007-05:00

this is a picture of my dear friends from the girls' small group. i wanna tell you a little bit about each one.
caitlin (in the yellow): she came around before the spring semester of 08 began. she emailed us saying that she was transferring from a Christian university to come to UH because she had a heart to see people get saved and it seemed that there might more of a need on a secular campus. (how cool is that???) she and i are dear friends and i have watched her work through some tough stuff in her life the last year and half. it's not easy to always be a witness when your roommate is muslim. but i'm proud of her.
nicole (in the middle): she started hanging out with us during our summer meetings last year. she had just gone through some major life changes and realized how far away she'd gotten from the LORD. she was (and still is) very, very hungry to know the LORD and to be in right standing with HIM. the LORD has bonded us together in friendship and in love. she will be going through our leadership training course during the summer and will hopefully begin to pour her life into other young girls.
mary beth (in the red): this girl is one amazing lady! she really knows how to surprise us. she's super quite and softspoken, but when she says something...she really says something. and either it's hilarious or insanely profound. she seems to be packed with much wisdom. i've also had the privilege of watching the LORD do some really cool things in her life, as well and i know HE's not done with her yet!
caitlyn (on the end): this is one of my dearest friends and i've actually known her for many years. we lived together while i was still in school. this woman has truly been my listening ear, my right hand, my voice of reason, my source of laughter, you name it. hers is quite a long story, but the gist is that she's helped me so much this year. she's led worship for us, led discussions, and has even spent a lot of time pouring into the other girls. i love her and am so grateful for her.

there are a couple other girls that aren't in this picture because of finals or illnesses. but i love, love, love each and every one them. i LOVE the LORD for allowing me to be a part of their lives and i know we'll always be connected because we were together for a time.

I LOVE THIS MINISTRY!!!!!

DO NOT LOSE HEART!!!

2009-04-08T09:44:00.003-05:00

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583

this newsweek article explains why America has become a post-Christian nation. meaning, we are currently experiencing the decline, and ultimately the end, of Christianity in America.

well...i disagree, but it breaks my heart nonetheless. and i know that if my heart breaks, then how much more does the heart of the FATHER break? this is why matt and i don't take what we do lightly. the future of America is, in every way, most certainly dependent on today's university students.

GOD help us...

time for updates

2009-04-05T13:18:00.009-05:00

first off...matt's grandfather (gramps) did pass away only a few days after i last posted. matt had already left for his trip, so i ventured down to corpus christi with my brother-in-law, james to be with the rest of the hoogendoorn (and smith) family. as sad as it was to acknowledge the end of a beautiful life, it was also such a sweet and unexpected time with my new family...who are totally amazing, by the way!
i only knew gramps for a couple of years, but he won my heart from the very first meeting...like he does with EVERYONE he meets! what a precious life lived to serve the KING! he loved the LORD and his family with everything he had and did so much to make their lives the best they could be.

and here are a few pictures from matt's trip. i'll do what i can to try to get him to write about some of the really amazing stories.

the city

the caspian sea
(and my fully-bearded husband)

a monestary

mount ararat in the disatnce

2009-03-16T09:53:00.005-05:00

please pray with us for matt's grandfather and my grandmother. both have been fighting cancer for quite sometime now (my g-mother- 2ish years, matt's g-father- almost a year), but it seems that in just the last few days they both have become weary of the fight. my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer (i can't remember what type) but it has spread and she has just developed a brain tumor that the doctors say is suppressing her ability to cough and will eventually cause her to get pneumonia. but her body is way too weak to fight it. and matt's gradnfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and they gave him chemo (as an, otherwise, very healthy and active 82 year-old man), which has completely torn down all of his immune system, leaving him in and out of ICU with several various illnesses. both have been given only weeks (maybe) to live.

it's hard to know exactly how to pray for the dying. do you pray that JESUS miraculously heals them or do you pray for their peace and comfort in their last days? of course, we love them so much and it hurts to think about life without them, but it also hurts to watch their pain and suffering be drawn out this way.

and this is the cool/difficult part of all...both families have several members that have never known CHRIST!!! i can't even begin to imagine the kind of hopelessness they're feeling right now. please pray, most of all, for their hearts. don't you know that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will be glorified in both of these families?!?!

my grandmother with my sister and me at my wedding

matt's gramps and granny also at our wedding

Reconaissance Mission

2009-03-09T10:27:00.003-05:00

we just found out about a week ago that matt has been invited to go along with a group of other chi alpha campus pastors on a missions trip at the end of this month! the reason for the trip is to make connections with the missionaries who live there in hopes that we'll be able to take teams of college students in the future. they'll get to visit 2 different countries within a week and a half. one of the countries is about 90% islamic (which is why i cannot mention the names).
we are super excited about this great opportunity and are praying that the LORD would open doors for the students at UH to go and see the need beyond this land. we believe very strongly in missions and that every student (or anybody, really) should experience what it's like to serve others in a foreign land. will you please pray with us for the protection of this team of men leaving on the 18th, and that deep connections would be made with those that live in these countries.
check back for pictures and cool stories!

we are humbled...

2009-02-11T20:59:00.000-06:00

to those of you who read this that support us:

YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING!!!!! no really...you guys totally knock our socks off every month! and some of you just plain spoil us at other random times...and we just love it!

it's so crazy to us that just when things are getting tighter and tighter and we have no idea how to make it through the month...we receive a random check in the mail or note of encouragement. you have no idea the impact this has on us! i don't know exactly what happens in matt's heart when he discovers this sort of kindness, but it never fails that i am overwhelmed to the point of tears. it is truly humbling to know that so many people love us enough to pray for us, to think of us and to give to us. i'm just saying...you totally rock our world!

thank you for being obedient to the LORD. and for being so selfless and sacrificial. we love you so, so much!

Christmas "Break"

2009-01-26T10:11:00.000-06:00

We have had such a whirlwind "break" this holiday season. In fact, it's been so crazy that I'm just now getting to update this thing.

Christmas:
Last year was our first Christmas as a married couple and we were able to get away with not having to travel everywhere to visit family since we had just seen most of them at the wedding. But we decided that we really wanted to see our extended family this year even though that meant adding a few extra locations to our "Christmas Travel Map." It was definitely worth the extra time and travel. We both have such amazing families and are so grateful for them...including our extended Chi Alpha family.

The World Missions Summit 2:
Oh, WOW!!! Really, not many other words can satisfy our feelings about this truly historic event. So much occurred at this conference that it would take too much to explain, but I'll try to fit what I can into a nutshell. We were in Cincinnati, Ohio for two and a half days with about 4,000+ college students and many other missionaries from around the world. There was international worship, rooms set up like different regions from around the world, and story after story after story about the grace and the love and the guidance and the provision of GOD. We also heard of many opportunities where there was great need for help. Close to 100 students pledged their futures to the LORD and told Him that they would go and do whatever would bring Him glory. And the craziest part? They really meant it. Can you even begin to imagine how much our world is about to change once these students graduate and are loosed into the far corners of the Earth to win souls for the Kingdom of GOD?! Incredible.

Itineration:
This is what Matt and I have been doing for a of couple years now to raise our personal and business budgets. Basically, we are invited to visit many different churches all over South Texas and share our vision and burden for the University of Houston. Just in the past few weeks we've visited several churches and have met many marvelous men and women of GOD. It is always so encouraging to hear how the LORD is moving in the ministries that have partnered with us.
When Matt and I visit a church, we always hope that the LORD would use us to minister to and encourage the members and the pastors of the church. And it never ceases to amaze us that we are the ones who leave deeply encouraged and blessed beyond words. I truly believe that we are in the best business on Earth. Thank you, JESUS!

So no, this has not really been much of a relaxing "vacation." But neither one of us would want it to be any other way...and we won't trade it for anything. :)

i love my job!

2008-12-09T23:15:00.000-06:00

please allow me to introduce to you two of the most important people in my life...

caroline is 4 years old going on like, 14. she LOVES cinderella, (and wishes to be called "cinderella"), tea parties, pippi longstocking, and drawing. she also enjoys bike races, and playing soccer. she's just beginning to learn how to write her abc's and could sit and watch movies or tv for hours, literally. she has a way of telling it like it is. she loves me when i wear my hair "blonde" (meaning straight), but only likes me when it's curly. but she also tells me all the time at random points throughout the day, "katey, i love you. you're my best friend." here she is in her new fancy hat sipping tea (water from the bathroom faucet.)

jack will be 2 at the end of january. he LOVES baab, his soft lamb blanket thingy. baab is his best friend and truly part of the family...won't go to sleep without him. (he's holding baab in the bottom picture.) jack enjoys reading LOTS of stories and pointing to the objects that he recognizes and can say. he didn't say any words at all until about 2 or 3 months ago. now he learns 5 new words a day. he loves to play chase and watch the wiggles and do everythng little thing his big sister does...which of course, drives her crazy. he loves me so much even though he can't quite say it. but i know it when he climbs up in my lap, gives me a kiss and snuggles close. oh, and he is soooo handsome in his glasses. this picture doesn't quite capture the handsome, but it does capture the cute.

i love these kids so much. i've only known them for about 8 months, but i could tell you just about anything about them. and if you're ever around me for longer then 5 minutes, i probably have a cute story or a funny picture to share. they don't realize it, but they teach me about life and about unconditional, self-sacrificing love. i get to be part of their lives...and they're not even my kids! how much more could i love my own?!
i just wanted to share with you about two of the most amazing people on the planet.

a year of lessons...

2008-11-26T10:42:00.000-06:00

just a few things i've learned in the past year...from being married.

1. i'm really not that great of a cook. :( thankfully, my husband is.
2. marriage really is like a huge magnified mirror. i learned so much about myself.
3. not everyone is completely awake and ready to talk first thing in the morning.
4. a budget is never perfect the first few (or many) times you do it.
5. if i want to pull off a surprise, i've gotta lie and hide things like mad!
6. guys do enjoy surprises. and the occasional flowers.
7. things are probably gonna be pretty bad if you don't pray TOGETHER on a consistent basis.
8. if we don't both do our part to keep a tidy place, it ain't gonna be tidy.
9. laughing at ourselves is one of the best things to do in a sticky situation.
10. he needs "guy" time and i need "girl" time...regularly. and it's okay.
11. the good LORD put us together for detailed reasons we can't even yet imagine.
12. it's not a good idea to point out flaws or to argue in front of other people.
13. it's okay to not always agree on everything...but there is compromise and understanding.
14. thorough and honest communication is vital.
15. i never thought i could love anyone like this.

uhxa thanksgiving dinner

2008-11-21T21:16:00.000-06:00

the coolest thing happened this past thursday evening. okay...2 cool things happened.

the first cool thing:

matt and i cooked our very first ever turkey! and he was a big guy too! we were both so nervous (and a little stressed) that it wouldn't be cooked all the way or that it would be too dry or taste horrible. and since our turkey was the main event for about 40 people, there was a lot of pressure. but it turned out GREAT...or at least that's what people said. i mean, it was almost all gone buy the end of the night, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?

the other cool (and way more important) thing:

the university of houston chi alpha got together with another Christian group on campus called, the Upper Room, for a thanksiving dinner celebration. it was so awesome! we worshipped together, ate (a lot of food!) together and met many new friends. only the LORD, in His infinite wisdom and grace, could orchestrate something like this. we are so grateful to begin ministry on this campus with steps toward unity with other believers. it really is a priceless gift.

2008-11-16T07:21:00.000-06:00

last night matt and i were at a missions banquet for a church that supports us out in katy. we're getting ready to go back for their sunday morning services, including sunday school, where matt and i will be able to share a little bit about what we do. (i haven't been to sunday school since i was in high school or longer.)

basically, every year a certain church will organize a whole missions weekend in order for their church members to see who they are supporting and to encourage them to keep giving and praying for the missionaries.

the pastor of this church is one of those truly amazing people who really is all about getting his congregation focused on missions. and the cool part is that only a few of the missionaries that were there last night were "AG" missionaries. this pastor really has a vision for the whole city of katy and has his church supporting and praying for many wonderful outreaches and ministries.

matt and i got a chance to talk with a few of the other missionaries and their families, and i left just feeling so encouraged to hear how some of these were led into the ministry. these are really just normal, ordinary people who said "yes" when GOD called their names.

it's really easy for us, myself included, to look at the lives of some of these "heroes" of the mission field, and think, "wow! they are super spiritual and GOD called them because they are super holy and humble about it. and i'll never be that awesome."

but the truth is that they really are people who were living life just like anyone else...for themselves. some even have dark and sordid pasts. but when GOD Almighty whispered dreams into their hearts, they listened, took ownership of those dreams and said "yes."

simple as that...

2008-11-15T10:55:00.001-06:00

it is such a lovely day outside.

it's cold enough for a sweater or light jacket. the golden sun is shining. the leaves are mostly still green against the bright blue sky, but are beginning to turn shades of orange, red and brown. families are running together or walking the dog(s) along the jogging trail outside. cars are zooming past on their way to garage sales, maybe, or birthday parties...who knows? my amazing husband is still sleeping solidly in the back. and i just had a peaceful time with the Creator of the Universe with a fine cup of glorious Jesus juice (coffee).

it's definitely important to never forget where we've been and where we've come from, but i don't want to ever live in the past. and it's always easier to be looking toward what's ahead and straining for our hopes and dreams (whatever they may be), but i never want to take up residence in the future. i want to enjoy every bit of my life in this very moment. the beauty that is constantly surrounding me. the richness of relationships. the lessons that i am currently learning from the LORD. there are too many things or events or situations that happened yesterday or are happening tomorrow, or are happening even later this evening that demand to occupy my thoughts.

but for right now, i just want to feel the cold winds against my skin, and watch the majestically crowned trees waving back and forth in worship to the KING, and feel the warmth of coffee running down my throat, and sing praises of my own to the Creator.

it is such a lovely day.

thank you, sir isenhower!

2008-09-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

yes...we have survived the wonderful mr. ike-monster. the LORD has been so good to us throughout the whole experience. no windows were busted, no trees fell on our cars or house, no leaks, etc. we have been without power since friday evening, and have therefore not been home since then. but we have such amazing friends and family who have been gracious enough to let us invade their space for large amounts of time. we stayed with steve and jen cuttino in montgomery thursday night until sunday night. and we've been with my parents for more than a week now. of course, it's been great to spend time with them and take a week to relax, but boy, are we ready to get back home and in the swing of things!

we sure do miss the students and have unfortunately, lost a considerable amount of time with them. when we left houston last thursday to escape the ike-monster, we were forced to cancel our first meeting on campus and our first week of small groups. :( it's going to be a challenge to get the students back on track and regain focus. please pray that the LORD will show HIS favor and that everything would be smooth.

please also pray that we would get power back in our house SOON! we love all of you!

WE'RE GONNA BE ON CAMPUS!!

2008-09-04T06:56:00.000-05:00

A.D. Bruce Religion Center

it's true...we had a meeting yesterday with the director of the A.D. Bruce Religion Center (which is where any religious organization can meet if they don't already have a place) and she hooked us up!!!

matt and i prayed the whole way there that we would have favor with them. we prayed that there would be a space available soon and that it wouldn't be too expensive to rent the room. so guess what...we're meeting on campus for the first time next thursday and it won't cost us a dime!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! and thanks so much for those of you who have been praying.

we love having the students meet in our home, but we always knew that it couldn't stay that way if we were ever gonna grow (our living room is big, but not that big). and new students are way more likely to come to the meetings and get involved if we meet on campus vs. 15 minutes away.

anyway...we're totally excited about this and we're so grateful for your shared excitement.

1st uhxa meeting of 08-09

2008-08-30T10:54:00.000-05:00

our first meeting was so much fun! our living room was packed out with students. some students we've seen all summer long, some we haven't seen since school ended in may, and some we'd never even met before. one of the students, kevin, shared a little of what's been on his heart lately then, we spent time in worship to the LORD. it was such a sweet time together and we are all excited about what the LORD has in store for us this year!
here are a few photos from the first meeting:

everybody was munching on yummy chips and queso and cookies and just catching up.

some of us played an exciting game of catch phrase while some of the guys went to play football in the mud.

new things for us

2008-08-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

so, i thought maybe we'd give this blogging thing a try. here goes...

well...here we are at the very beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. we have our first meeting of the semester on thursday and we simply cannot wait til then. we are so excited about what the LORD is already cooking up in our humble little group. the students are already beginning to meet new friends in their classes and in the dorms and it's only day 2!! matt and i have just been covering them in prayer.
we can't wait to share all the amazing stories with you...and hopefully some pictures as well.
we love you.
keep praying!