Two weeks ago, Clemson RUF spent a week at Laguna Beach Christian Retreat in Florida. Usually, by the end of the year, most friendships are pretty solidified, and we have already seen so much growth in our students and their faith, so by the time our last conference comes around, we’re just excited to wrap things up and have a fun break! That’s not what happens, though. Every year, I have students talk to me after SuCo and tell me about the new friendships they have made with people in our group that they don’t usually talk to, and hear about many of our students asking staff and each other deep questions that challenge and encourage them in their faith!
We had the privilege of bringing 50 students (25 boys and 25 girls) to SuCo, where they weren’t distracted by school or work and could just dive into the Word of God. Other campus ministers taught many seminars, such as Psalms and Emotions, Women’s Sexuality, Abiding in Christ in Singleness, etc. These allowed our students to explore topics they’re curious about or have never even considered and see how the Gospel affects every part of our lives. Our free time consisted of competitions like volleyball, tug-of-war, and Mario Kart. If you don’t know, Clemson is a pretty competitive group, so we were all excited to win a couple of the events!
It was such a blessing to be able to watch many of our students grow and be the hands and feet of God. Thank you for supporting this work that we are doing! I couldn’t have been there without you!

Summer looks a little different for me since most of my students are gone. While I do get to slow down a bit from relational ministry, I’m still hard at work with next year’s prep. I’m planning on leading a Bible study through the Psalms in the Fall, so I’m spending the summer studying and making a plan of what that will look like.
We have a few students staying in town, so two of our guys will be leading a Bible study through the minor prophets! I’m so excited to watch them lead and to learn from them! I’m hoping to get together with a couple of the girls sticking around for some 1-1 time, but I’m very glad to be able to focus on building some more friendships here in Clemson! Most of the summer, I’ll be in fundraising mode, which means a trip back home to TN! I’m planning on coming back to Cookeville and Pikeville the first week of July, and I’d love to see as many of you as possible to give you an update on life here and to hear about how you all are doing! Please reach out to me if you’d like to schedule a time to get coffee or have a meal together!

During the summer months, our students are taking a break from school, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t still busy. A lot of our students have summer internships, summer jobs, or are going all over the world to help spread the gospel and learn more about ministry. One of my upcoming sophomore girls, Kara, is doing an internship and mission work! Let me tell you a little bit about it!

Kara has been such a light in RUF this past year. Like any other freshman, she struggled to find community as she learned what it’s like to be a college student and on her own for the first time. She decided to jump into RUF with everything she had and quickly became close with many of the other freshman students we had. I could immediately tell that she was a go-getter, planning and organizing freshman intramural teams and inviting new people into their friend group. In many of our one-on-one meetings, I could see the strength of her faith as she struggled with life challenges and always seemed to point herself back to the Cross. When she told me that she would be spending part of the summer in Africa on a mission trip, I was not at all surprised that this is what the Lord was calling her to!

Kara will be spending a month starting June 26th in the small village of Malawi helping the local families. Her duties will include: tutoring the children of the village, taking care of various maintenance tasks, and engaging in a variety of children's activities. By stepping into their culture and daily lives, Kara will have many opportunities to build relationships with these children and families and (Lord willing) have opportunities to share the gospel with them.

Please join me in praying for her and her travels and efforts in Malawi! Pray that our Heavenly Father gives her courage in the gospel and many opportunities to share. Pray that she and her grandparents are safe during their travels. Pray that she comes back having seen how the Lord is at work in the world.

The Clemson RUF staff is made up of five people: Daniel (Campus Minister), Lydia (Campus Staff), Me (2nd year Intern), and David (2nd year Intern). I’ve been working with Daniel for two years and with David and Lydia for a year and a half. We have seen each other almost every day and have created really great friendships that have helped us in our ministry. David and Lydia, however, have completed their time with Clemson RUF.
David will be going to law school soon, and Lydia will be getting married next weekend and joining the RUF staff at UTK! I’m so excited for both of them and the new journeys that they are taking, but I’m also so sad to see them go. They have both been such a light to our ministry and have created deep relationships with our students.

We are fortunate, though, to be receiving two new staff members this Fall! Emily (Campus Staff) and Sean (1st year Intern)! They will be moving to Clemson over the summer and will start ministry with us in August. I’m excited to get to know them and see how the Lord will use them on our campus!

It’s time!! I have one more round of fundraising before I finish up with RUF! I wish that I could properly express my gratitude to all of my donors. There are certainly times in this job and ministry when I don’t feel qualified or prepared to do what the Lord has called me to, but you all are such an encouragement to me!

My budget is staying the same this year, so I am raising $56,521. That’s a big number, but we’ve done this twice now, so I know that it is possible to reach that total again! I had some extra money from last year’s support that has rolled over into this year, so I’m starting well off!
Many of you are monthly donors, which is awesome! I’ll be reaching out to each of you to check in about your giving. If you’d like to change you’re giving at all, please contact me just so I know how my numbers will be changing. If all of my monthly donors stay on and they don’t decrease their giving, with the extra money I have from this past year, I’ll only need to raise $20,000 in order to be fully funded!!
If you are a one-time donor, I’d love to reach out to you and ask what your giving may look like this year!

I talked to a student from JSU this past week about what fundraising looks like. I told him, “Everything that I have and that I have spent in the past two years is because of my donors and the Lord’s Church. The roof over my head, the food in my belly, the countless times that I get coffee with a college student, all of it is because there are people who care about the spread of the gospel. The work that I do comes from God, and the provision that I have is from His people.” Thank you for taking this journey with me!

• Pray for our students and their summer work

• Pray for me and the rest of the staff as we plan what ministry will look like next year

• Pray for our incoming staff (Emily and Sean)

• Praise for God’s provision already

Thank you so much for the ways that you all have loved and supported me. If you have any questions, or prayer requests, or would just like to chat, please call or text me at (423)453-6249.