Well, March is pretty much over, and it has been a crazy month filled with prayer, surprises, growth, and learning. I’m super excited to share with you a few highlights during the month, and would love to talk more in detail if you reach out to me! But here’s what happened during March, I hope you enjoy reading…
March, 2025 - Deliverance Month?
Maybe it’s just a UMass thing, but it seems deliverance has been a hot topic this month. From churches talking about deliverance, to students talking about deliverance, to other ministries talking about deliverance, I’m wondering what about deliverance is so hot right now? It would seem as if a lot of students at UMass are longing to be rescued, and or delivered, from habits, patterns, or experiences that they’re going through; and ironically (or maybe un-ironically) all of this seems to be happening in tandem with UMass Amherst’s “Blarney Season.”
If unfamiliar with the term “Blarney,” Blarney at UMass typically involves numerous “darties” (day parties) in which hundreds of college students get together to drink alcohol and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And historically, this season on campus has led to an overwhelming amount of arrests and hospitalizations.
Photo during this year’s Interministry Blarney Outreach
Consequently, two years ago while I was a junior at UMass, I felt convicted reading those news articles, and I wanted to do something. So, in the spring of 2023 I bought a whole bunch of “Jesus Loves You” wristbands and got a group of people together in hopes of engaging with “Blarney goers” via dialogue and prayer; and now with it being two years later, I’m truly blown away as the Lord has firmly established this “outreach” as a new tradition at UMass (so much so that after graduating and not being able to attend the outreach this year, I can sit from distance and marvel at how this outreach continues to grow.) Regardless, I am super grateful to see God slowly reclaim “Blarney” weekend and rescue students from alcoholism into kingdom love and community. I wonder what God will do over the years, and maybe just maybe the news articles will be written about hope rather than chaos.
March 26th, 2025 - Growing Up Black!
Anyway, outside of the Blarney events, last week students at UMass gathered as we held an event called “Growing Up Black,” in which students shared stories about the joys, challenges, and experiences that shaped who they are today; and unfortunately for y’all the dialogue and conversation was so good that I forgot to take pictures.
Either way, I am super proud of my student leaders who facilitated the dialogue, and like a seasoned evangelist one of the leaders took a simple conversation about parenting and slowly directed the conversation towards spiritual matters.
“Growing up in a Christian household, I feel like my parents definitely influenced my faith and what I believe today.”
Then after hearing that comment, more students began to open up and share; And one students shared something that moved me. Having met this student at the BSU’s Melanin Mixer last month, I listened as he opened up shared about how he’s trying to figure his faith out. Explaining how his dad is a pastor and how he’s wrestling with some things, he beautifully articulated that he’s taking his faith one baby step at a time.
Wow! I thought to myself. I was not expecting that from him. The student that I invited was a “PK” (Pastor’s Kid)? Nonetheless, I listened to his story and considered things from his parents’ perspective. What would I do if my son was in his freshman year at UMass Amherst and was trying to figure his faith out? How would I support him? If I were to guess, the best I could do is simply PRAY! And of all the places that this student could’ve been on a Weds night, he somehow managed to find himself in a room full of Christians opening up about their faith. Could his parents have prayed him into that room?
Regardless, I find it a blessing to consider how I’m supporting both students and parents by serving in college ministry! It’s crazy to consider how something I do could actually be answering someone’s parents’ prayer. Either way, thank you so much for supporting me in this work, and prayerfully in the future, when my children go to college someone will be there to support them too!
Hence, once again thank you so much for supporting me in the work that I’m doing! Through your support, you allow me to answer prayers! I love you all, and am blessed to be in this season of life! Take care! :)
My Prayer Requests
1. Pray for my fiancee (Imani) and I as we plan our wedding. Favor during the venue search.
2. For future leaders at UMass, healthy transition during the club reregistration process and start of fall.
3. Pray for God’s will to be done at UMass and Westfield State University.
4. For the Impact Movement’s Staff conference next week in Atlanta.