Joy in All Seasons
“I have seen what is good. It is good for a person to eat and drink. It’s good for them to be satisfied with their hard work on this earth. That’s what they should do during the short life God has given them. That’s what God made them for. Sometimes God gives a person wealth and possessions. God makes it possible for that person to enjoy them. God helps them accept the life he has given them. God helps them to be happy in their work. All these things are gifts from God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 NIRV)
Dear Family and Friends,
Bonjour! I hope this letter finds you basking in the glorious beginning of September! It’s one of my favorite months and it introduces my favorite season so I’m especially excited, but it can also be sad to say goodbye to summer and vacation. But, as we learn in Ecclesiastes, even though seasons change, our God stays the same. The best thing to do in this life is trust Him and make the most of what He has given us!
In this letter: awesome student takeaways from the second Bible camp of the summer, a recap of the Forum, and praises/prayer requests. As always, thank you for reading, praying, and giving! Your support helps make this ministry possible!
P.S. I have updated my ministry page on Instagram. Feel free to follow for more regular updates. (@kelsey.in.paris.ministry)
Biblical Training Camp: Part 2
Some scenes from Biblical Training Camp Part 2
You may remember when I wrote about the first Biblical training camp in June. This one is the same, except that it’s at the end of August in a different location. Students, ministry friends, and I spent a week studying a book of the Bible (Ecclesiastes this time), taking courses in doctrine and Biblical history, and enjoying the fresh air!
Keep reading to hear how students grew closer to God!
- Before coming to camp, Oliver* was feeling uncertain about the upcoming year. He would be leading a Bible study group but had never done it before, and so far he knew of only 1 student who would be coming. At the end of camp he shared that he couldn’t wait to get back! He had gotten lots of ideas for how to organize the study and what themes to dive into, and was confident God would be with him.
- Eleanor* had always liked the book of Ecclesiastes but studying it more deeply during the week eased her nerves about the future. She realized that she can’t know what will happen; the only thing she can be sure of is the goodness and sovereignty God Himself. Therefore, even though she still hasn’t chosen which courses to take, she will go ahead with faith that God will use her no matter what.
- Nathalie* came to camp having recently gotten the news of her friend’s uncle’s death. She hadn’t known how to comfort her, but the course on suffering gave her the tools she needed to support her friend during this sad time.
- Yousef* became a follower of Jesus just 2 months ago after growing up in a Muslim family. He was so eager to learn about the Bible but especially to share his story with others. One day he took a walk into town and ended up meeting a woman named Lily*. Lily had grown up in the Catholic church but was never very interested in faith. Hearing Yousef’s testimony, however, touched her heart, and she decided she would try to seek God once again!
*Names changed for privacy.
I wish I could share more—these are just a few of the many stories from the week. All glory to God for his work in these students’ lives! How cool will it be to see how He’ll use them to transform their communities back home?!
Let’s Go Team! GBU Forum 2026
At the yearly Forum, everyone involved in the ministry—the Chaplaincy, council members, regional staff, interns, and members of the Student Executive Committee—comes together to worship, reflect on the previous year, and discuss the GBU vision and strategy for the following year. We can’t wait for 2026-2027!
Praises!
- Praise God for the camp; for the hard work of the organizers, the student participation and the connections that were made.
- On a personal note, praise God for sending two of my dear friends to visit me over the summer! We ate amazing food, strolled around the city, visited the oceanside cliffs in Étretat (spectacular!), and chatted nonstop. Those two were huge encouragements to me during a particularly quiet and confusing few months.
Prayer Requests
- For our kickoff prayer night on Tuesday, September 8th. Pray for a good turnout of both returning and new students, believers and non-believers, and general excitement for the upcoming year. We’ll be reading the parabole of the rich fool in Luke 19 and the theme is about looking forward towards eternal life with hope instead of looking towards life on earth with anxiety.
- For the students to stay motivated and close to God as the semester begins.
- For wisdom and diligence in preparing and leading my two student one-on-one bible studies.
- For energy and focus in learning French. I have a new tutor and she’s great!
You are helping to make a difference—thank you!
Merci for all your prayers, gifts and encouragement as I’ve transitioned. This ministry truly wouldn’t be possible without you. I am humbled and amazed by your partnership as I’ve reached the goal set out for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Praise God! The fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th, so, taking into account the surplus from last year, my new financial goal to make up the difference for 2026-27 is $37,000. Thank you for your generous gifts towards this ministry. I’ve already reached out to some of you and will continue to do so and send updates of my progress in the upcoming months, but if you’d like to give, please click here or on the “I’d like to give!” button below. Thank you and blessings to you, your communities, and families.
Finally, I’m praying for you, too—please don’t hesitate to reach out with specific requests or just to say hi! (I also love snail mail if that’s more your style!)
May you be surrounded by the love, peace, and joy of Jesus today and always!
With love and gratitude,
Kelsey
I love hearing from you!
Email — kelsey dot weidmann at intervarsity dot org
Instagram — @kelsey.in.paris.ministry
My mailing address is:
Kelsey WEIDMANN
2 Allée André Mantois
92500 Rueil-Malmaison
FRANCE
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