Humbled

Two and a half years ago I joined 4,000 students and staff of the University of Kentucky in a large field to go out and serve the needs of the community in Lexington. That day I helped lead a group of 17 or so students that randomly chose to sign up and come to a nursing home with my co-leader and I.

Although the people in my group were random to me, they were not random to the Lord. Through this event he led me to meet a bright-eyed freshmen named Jen. A new tri-delt pledge and pre-nursing major Jen was excited about the beginning of her college career. I shared with my group how I worked for a campus ministry that loves to talk with students about how they can know God and share with others about Him. After the project was over and students were beginning to leave I ran up to Jen and asked if she would be interested in meeting for coffee and hearing more about Cru. She passed me her phone number and we set up to meet later in the week.

A couple days later my co-worker and friend Laura joined me as I got back together with Jen. We learned about her life and past and were able to share with her about the Love of Christ. Later Laura and I were to learn that Jen realized then that although she had been raised in a religious family, she had never made a personal decision to accept the gift God was offering her, Christ's death, the payment for her sin and brokenness and eternal relationship with God in exchange for committing her life to following and loving him.

Now years later I have seen grow to a women who is deeply in love with Christ and eager to share about Him with others. She joined me in Senegal for 6 weeks talking to college students from another world about Jesus. This year she is leading her own Bible study and mentoring young women as well as caring for international students on our campus and active church involvement. And last Sunday I was able to join 20 friends from Cru as we celebrated her baptism, a public declaration to her church and friends that she is a follower of Christ.

As I sat and listened to the pastor share her story I was humbled. How did I come to a place where God has chosen me to be one of the many people who had the privilege of pointing Jen to Jesus. And I was thankful. Thankful to each of you who are committed to giving and to praying for me so that this young women's life and others can be transformed.