Hello again friends!
While October is typically the busiest month of the year for us, it is almost always the most clear glimpse of how God is working in students' lives! This year was no exception.
As many of you know, the Main Event took place from the 19-21 of the month. 850 students came and heard the message of God's salvation and willingness to restore our relationship with him. As amazing as that number is, what truly makes it fantastic is the individual stories of how God consistently reshapes lives for eternity. Here are a few:
A student in my Thursday night bible study at UNI shared with me that prior to Main Event his life was characterized by coasting spiritually and focusing on his worldly ambitions. He desired to be a light on his track team and with his friends but knew that his actions were only communicating that he was a nice guy. It was frustrating why his light was not clearly shining in others' lives. Enter Main Event. During the weekend God worked in his heart to reveal that his light isn't shining because it isn't possible to give away something that he doesn't have; he didn't have an overflowing ministry because the word was second place in his life. He approached me about this & I've begun to send him text messages at 6 & 7 a.m. to encourage that time alone with God. He now has a renewed vigor and passion for God's working in him through the Scriptures. Isn't that amazing? Since Main Event his priorities have clearly shifted and as a result God has used him in recent days. Last night, he shared how he has already had an opportunity to share the gospel with a friend on his floor. We then sat and talked about tools he can use to do that concisely and effectively! Without God working through Main Event the gospel would not have advanced this week in his dorm.
During our Saturday evening service at Main Event, our speaker gave an invitation to come forward and do some business with God. Two students responded and met with me at the front. "I feel God calling me to follow Him with my life.", one said. "I've accepted Jesus before but I want to recommit to really giving him all I have." Another brought a friend with him and shared how they had just accepted Christ earlier in the year on their campus and they felt God calling them to find other men to seek God with. We prayed for other men who would sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron and hugged as the Lord spoke to each of them.
Thank you for your prayers and support that make impacting students like these possible:
A junior woman responded to our missions message, "I believe I may be living in Japan this summer!"
Through this weekend a sophomore male responded, "I have a vision of how Christ wants me to live a revitalized and loving life. I have learned how to live by humility and with integrity."
Another sophomore responded, "I realized that some of the problem areas in my life I can not handle on my own. I have to give it up to God and seek his will for my life. When I completely surrender then he will provide and lead me in the right way. I also need to spread the joy to those I care about through his power."
May God use these students to reach his creation for Christ. May he take some of these and continue to reach the world through the campus!!
In November would you pray with me for unbelieving students that God would make Proverbs 3:7 true in their lives. "Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil." Please pray that they would recognize this as the only way to peace with God and complete joy in life!
Looking forward to another month of laboring beside you,
Ben
