Ministry Blog for May


Summer has Started!!

And that means, like that, the school year is over. I can't believe how much God has done in my life and the lives of our SMU students over these past 10 months. Because of y'all's financial investment and prayer, students in all stages of faith and in all different types of life circumstances got to experience the love of Jesus through our FOCUS community and took many steps forward in their faith walks.


As I fall into new rhythms for the summer, I have had some time to reflect with God about all that He has done this school year. I wanted to share some of the people that came to mind so that we can praise God together and celebrate life change:

Sneha, a sophomore girl who was involved entirely online with FOCUS during COVID, joined in person this year and became such a sweet part of our community and formed deep friendships with our small group leaders. She went through the process of making her faith her own and felt called to be baptized this spring at her church. Almost all of our girl leaders went out to support and celebrate Sneha in one of the defining moments of her life


Melody, a freshman that went to SICM, our student leadership conference, came into this school year loving Jesus and pursuing a relationship with him, but was scared to talk about her faith with others. After learning about evangelism at the conference and getting to practice starting spiritual conversations at Western Washington's campus, she told me about how excited she was now to have the resources and courage to share Christ with others around her. I am so excited to see how she lives on mission for Jesus once she goes back on campus!


Suvwe, another freshman who joined FOCUS at the start of the fall semester, had a very rough freshman year; she had family that almost passed away, multiple friends struggling with depression and suicide ideations, and more instability while tackling the normal pressures of starting college. She was able to still find joy and grow in her faith, though, because she found spiritual friendships and support in FOCUS to be there to answer 2:00 am calls and be an encouraging voice in the midst of turmoil. She now has been such a bright light to others during their times of struggle and will do so much to minister to the broken this next year on campus.


Julia, a junior psychology major, didn't join FOCUS until the week after spring break when we met her during our outreach week.  While she had some church-hopping experiences, she had never experienced a Christian community before and hadn't owned a bible since she was a child. Through the last part of the semester, I got to see how excited she was to learn more about Jesus in scripture and how eager she was to have deep, spiritual friendships. Towards the end of our time meeting, Laura, my co-leader, and I were able to give her a Bible and Laura will have a Bible study with her this summer! Praise God for doing the work beforehand to create good soil in her. 


These are just a few of the stories that I can tell from my own ministry this past year, not even including all of the ones from the other small group leaders and the whole guy's side of the ministry. I wouldn't be able to write about any of these if it wasn't for your partnership in what God is doing at SMU, so thank you for doing your part of being faithful to God's call. 


Also, a big thanks to everyone who is continuing to stay on my support team as I transition into my new role as the main women's minister. God has already shown me His faithfulness to provide through your faithfulness in giving. 


Thank you to everyone who read my blogs and prayed for these people and my ministry as a whole. I may be the hands doing the direct work, but y'all have been the body of Christ to make anything I did possible. Your prayers have impacted me beyond what I could ever even be aware of. 

I will continue sending these blogs out, so I hope that you'll stay subscribed to stay updated on what God is doing in the lives of college students in the Dallas area. 


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21


Your Campus Missionary,
Siena Walter

(plus some photos of my favorite moments this month)





Our SMU crew (plus one UTD girl on the end) from our student leadership conference this month!! Our students spent 10 days in Washington State learning how to be campus missionaries and growing in their faith through teaching, worship, and practice in sharing the gospel on campus. This photo was taken at Washington University


Here's another photo of some SMU peeps and then my sweet friends and coworkers, Sandra and Andrea, exploring a beautiful forest with a waterfall while in Washington. 



We had an end-of-year pool party with some of the other apprentices on Memorial day! It was such a sweet time having fun with each other and reflecting on these past 10 months. I love them all dearly!








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